The movie musical comes nearly four decades after Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed 1985 film, which starred Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover, and Margaret Avery. Winfrey earned an Oscar nomination for the 1985 film.
Spielberg produced the new version, alongside Winfrey, Scott Sanders, and Quincy Jones. This bold new take on the beloved classic is directed by Blitz Bazawule (Black Is King, The Burial of Kojo).
The Color Purple stars Fantasia Barrino as Celie, Danielle Brooks as Sofia, Taraji P. Henson as Shug, and H.E.R. as Squeak. Halle Bailey and Ciara play younger and older versions of Nettie, Celie’s sister. Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, and Louis Gossett Jr. lead as Mister, Harpo, and Old Mister. Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor is the sisters’ mother, called only Mama in the story.
The film is a revived and reformatted version of the Broadway musical which debuted in 2005. Both Barrino and Brooks performed as Celie and Sofia in the Broadway musical. The Color Purple opens in theaters Dec. 25, 2023.
