The 2023 film adaptation of The Color Purple, directed by Blitz Bazawule, features a star-studded cast portraying key characters from Alice Walker's novel and the stage musical. The film centers on Celie, an African American woman enduring abuse and hardship in the early 20th-century American South, and highlights her journey toward self-discovery and empowerment through sisterhood and resilience.

The film also includes notable performances from David Alan Grier as Reverend Avery, Elizabeth Marvel as Miss Millie, Jon Batiste as Grady, and Ciara as grown-up Nettie, further enriching the narrative.

1985 film directed by Steven Spielberg

The_Color_Purple_poster.jpg
The Color Purple
The Color Purple
What You Need to Know About 'The Color Purple'
'The Color Purple' | Anniversary Mashup
The Color Purple is a 1985 American epic period drama film, directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Menno Meyjes, based on the 1982 novel by Alice Walker. Spielberg's eighth film as … Wikipedia
Ratings
7.7 / 10.0
IMDb
103K votes
94%
Rotten Tomatoes
100K votes
78.0
Metacritic
7 votes
Factsheet
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Screenplay by Menno Meyjes
Factsheet
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Screenplay by Menno Meyjes
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › The_Color_Purple_(1985_film)
The Color Purple (1985 film) - Wikipedia
1 week ago - The website's critical consensus reads: "It might have been better served by a filmmaker with a deeper connection to the source material, but The Color Purple remains a worthy, well-acted adaptation of Alice Walker's classic novel." On Metacritic, the film received a weighted average score of 78 out of 100 based on seven critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times awarded the film four stars, calling it "the year's best film". He also praised Whoopi Goldberg, calling her role "one of the most amazing debut performances in movie history" and predicting she would win the Academy Award for Best Actress; she was nominated but lost to Geraldine Page, for her performance in The Trip to Bountiful.
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IMDb
imdb.com › title › tt1200263
The Color Purple (2023) ⭐ 6.8 | Drama, Musical
December 25, 2023 - With Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo. A woman faces many hardships in her life, but ultimately finds extraordinary strength and hope in the unbreakable bonds of sisterhood.
Release date   Dec 25, 2023
Duration   02:21:00
Rating: 6.8/10 ​ - ​ 20.1K votes
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TV Guide
tvguide.com › movies › the-color-purple › cast › 2030122294
The Color Purple - Full Cast & Crew - TV Guide
Learn more about the full cast of The Color Purple with news, photos, videos and more at TV Guide
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People
people.com › actors-who-played-same-character-the-color-purple-8414969
Who's Played Who? See the Actors Who Played the Same Characters in 'The Color Purple'
December 21, 2023 - As we gear up for the Dec. 25 premiere of the film, here's a look at some of the actors who've played the same character in The Color Purple from the original movie, the 2015 Broadway revival and now, the new film.
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Playbill
playbill.com › playbill home (deco) › 'to showcase blackness on every spectrum': meet the cast and characters of the color purple film
'To Showcase Blackness on Every Spectrum': Meet the Cast and Characters of The Color Purple Film | Playbill
November 27, 2023 - The film is led by Broadway Color Purple alums Fantasia Barrino as Celie and Danielle Brooks as Sophia, along with Grammy winners Jon Batiste as Grady and Ciara as Adult Nettie, Taraji P.
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IMDb
imdb.com › title › tt0088939
The Color Purple (1985) ⭐ 7.7 | Drama
February 7, 1986 - With Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Margaret Avery. A tale spanning forty years in the life of Celie, an African-American woman living in the South who survives incredible abuse and bigotry.
Release date   Feb 07, 1986
Duration   02:34:00
Director   Steven Spielberg
Rating: 7.7/10 ​ - ​ 103K votes
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Oprah Daily
oprahdaily.com › culture & news › tv & movies › the stars of the color purple, past and present
The Cast of "The Color Purple," Past and Present
December 15, 2023 - For superfans and newbies alike, we've compiled a who’s who of the 1985 and 2023 casts. By Jane BurnettPublished: Dec 15, 2023 5:11 PM EST ... From Alice Walker’s 1982 novel to Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film to two Broadway productions, The Color Purple has impacted and inspired generations. Oprah, who made her unforgettable film debut as Sofia in the 1985 movie, has served as a Color Purple “whisperer” of sorts ever since: She was a producer of the 2015
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Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › The_Color_Purple_(2023_film)
The Color Purple (2023 film) - Wikipedia
1 week ago - Pete Hammond, reviewing the film for Deadline Hollywood, reports that although "Spielberg’s version still resonates", the direction of Bazawule "brings a unique vision that makes this version stand on its own as an authentic and valuable addition to The Color Purple legacy", appreciating the photography of Dan Laustsen, which "gives a vision of the early 20th century South rarely seen in films depicting the period, particularly Black lives". Katie Walsh of Los Angeles Times described the director's approach as "modern, while paying homage to the traditions of Broadway musicals", while the cast "takes your breath away", praising Barrino for her "stunning performance as Celie, holding the emotional center over decades" and Brooks, who "steals the whole movie, [...] She brings fire, humor and grit to a character who undergoes a dramatic, tragic arc".
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Amblin
amblin.com › movie › the-color-purple
The Color Purple (1985) - About the Movie | Amblin
July 7, 2021 - Whoopi Goldberg, winner of the Best Actress Golden Globe Award and an Oscar nomination, makes a triumphant screen debut as the radiant, indomitable Celie. Born into a painful life with an abusive father, and given away to an abusive husband ...
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Rotten Tomatoes
rottentomatoes.com › m › color_purple
The Color Purple | Rotten Tomatoes
December 18, 1985 - If you have watched Spiel start-to-now, it is amazing he made this movie. It has all of his style and affecting moments. Some of the acting performances are top tier and unsurprising they launched stars. Still, it has glaring weaknesses. The score is so bad. The depiction of sexuality, while i get he needed to "keep it PG", reflect an author who has almost no real-life expoure to sex or queerness.
Release date   Dec 18, 1985
Director   Steven Spielberg
Rating: 94/100 ​ - ​ 100K votes
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Business Insider
businessinsider.com › business insider › entertainment › then and now: the cast of 'the color purple' 38 years later
'the Color Purple' 1985 Cast: Where Are They Now? - Business Insider
December 23, 2023 - Steven Spielberg's film adaptation of Alice Walker's "The Color Purple" was released in 1985. The movie starred Whoopi Goldberg as Celie, Oprah Winfrey as Sofia, and Margaret Avery as Shug. Here's what the cast has been up to since the movie ...
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Collider
collider.com › home › movie › ‘the color purple’ cast & characters guide: meet the cast of the musical retelling
‘The Color Purple’ Cast & Characters Guide: Meet the Cast of the Musical Retelling
December 24, 2023 - Danielle Brooks, Fantasia Barrino, and Taraji P Henson as Sophia, Celie, and Shug Avery on the poster for The Color PurpleImage via Warner Bros.
Duration   02:21:00
Director   Blitz Bazawule
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TODAY.com
today.com › popculture › movies › color-purple-cast-changed-years-rcna129597
Oprah Winfrey shines a spotlight on 'The Color Purple' cast and how they made each role their own
Now, nearly 40 years later, Fantasia Barrino is taking on the role of Celie in the Broadway musical adaptation of "The Color Purple," set to hit theaters on Christmas Day. Leading up to the film, Oprah Winfrey, who played Sofia in the 1985 original film, penned a special message on Instagram about each of the core cast members in a "spotlight" post, applauding their portrayals and sharing how they "embodied" their characters. "Fantasia unleashes her primal core and talent in every single scene of this new movie.
Published   December 24, 2023
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Entertainment Weekly
ew.com › movies › color-purple-cast-new-old
How the new cast of 'The Color Purple' compares to the old
February 4, 2022 - Whoopi Goldberg was predominantly known as a comedian when she was cast in only her second film role as Celie. She shocked audiences with her portrayal of the meek, downtrodden Celie, and it earned her a Best Actress Oscar nod. Celie was her career-making role, and it also opened doors for Fantasia Barrino and Cynthia Erivo, who portrayed the character in the Broadway show and its revival. Barrino, an American Idol winner, played Celie on Broadway in The Color Purple from 2007 to 2008, to great acclaim, and she will now get the chance to put her indelible stamp on the character on the big screen.
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ODEON
odeon.co.uk › odeon-scene › cast-of-the-color-purple
Cast of The Color Purple
January 26, 2024 - But this aspiring blues singer finds herself as the story progresses, and by the end of the movie, the character played by R&B singer H.E.R. is kicking out against the patriarchy. There’s no lack of talent in The Color Purple cast, with Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Mama, Jon Batiste as Grady, David Alan Grier as Reverend Samuel Avery, Tamela Mann as First Lady, Elizabeth Marvel as Miss Millie, Stephen Hill as Henry ‘Buster’ Broadnax – and Oscar-winning An Officer And A Gentleman legend Louis Gossett Jr.
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IMDb
imdb.com › title › tt0088939 › fullcredits
The Color Purple (1985) - Full cast & crew - IMDb
The Color Purple (1985) - Cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.
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Rotten Tomatoes
rottentomatoes.com › m › the_color_purple › cast-and-crew
The Color Purple | Cast and Crew | Rotten Tomatoes
December 25, 2023 - All Bill Skarsgård Movies and TV Ranked by Tomatometer Link to All Bill Skarsgård Movies and TV Ranked by Tomatometer View All ... Avengers: Doomsday: Release Date, Trailer, Cast & More Link to Avengers: Doomsday: Release Date, Trailer, Cast & More · Weekend Box Office: Avatar: Fire and Ash Holds on with $64 Million Link to Weekend Box Office: Avatar: Fire and Ash Holds on with $64 Million View All ... A story of love and resilience based on the novel and the Broadway musical, THE COLOR PURPLE is a decades-spanning tale of one woman's journey to independence.
Release date   Dec 25, 2023
Director   Blitz Bazawule
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Oprah
oprah.com › oprahshow › the-color-purple-reunion
<em>The Color Purple</em> Reunion
November 15, 2010 - These actors and their co-stars&#8212;Margaret Avery as Shug Avery, Rae Dawn Chong as Squeak, Akosua Busia as Nettie, Desreta Jackson as young Celie, and Willard Pugh as Sofia's husband, Harpo&#8212;all breathed life into gritty, unforgettable ...