Oprah explains why Beyoncé wasn’t cast in the The Color Purple musical
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Oprah Winfrey, the iconic TV personality and producer of the upcoming movie musical adaptation of The Color Purple, recently explained why she chose not to cast music superstars Beyoncé and Rihanna in the film. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Oprah revealed that the decision was not based on their talent or ability, but rather on the film’s budget.
Oprah starred as Sofia in the 1985 Steven Spielberg adaptation of Alice Walker’s award-winning novel, The Color Purple. Nearly four decades later, she has taken on the role of producer for the onscreen adaptation of the Tony-winning musical version of the story. The groundbreaking plot spans several decades and follows the journey of Celie, a southern African-American woman played by Fantasia Barrino. Celie is torn apart from her sister Nettie and forced into an abusive marriage with a man known as Mister, played by Colman Domingo.
As the film’s producer, Oprah had the task of assembling a cast that would do justice to this vital remake. While she considered casting Beyoncé and Rihanna, she ultimately decided against it due to the film’s increased budget. Oprah explained, “To be completely honest about it, if you were doing this film for $30 or $40 million, the interest in the cast would be very different. Once the film moved to $90 to $100 million, then everybody wants us to bring Beyoncé. ‘Can you get Beyoncé or can you get Rihanna?'”
Oprah’s decision was not a reflection of their talent or suitability for the roles but rather a practical consideration. She emphasized that there are other actors who can do justice to the characters in the film. Despite their absence from The Color Purple, both Beyoncé and Rihanna have been making waves in their own right. Beyoncé recently released Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé in cinemas to rave reviews while Rihanna made her highly anticipated return to live music and announced her second pregnancy during her Super Bowl halftime show performance.
Oprah fought for a larger budget from major studio Warner Bros in order to ensure that the film received the support it needed to be a cultural manifesto for the community. She explained, “‘You have to give us more money to do this because this is a cultural manifesto in a way for our community, and it deserves to have the support that’s needed to make it what it needs to be.'” This dedication to the project is evident in Oprah’s commitment to assembling a cast that will bring the story to life in a powerful and authentic way.
The original 1985 adaptation of The Color Purple received critical acclaim, garnering four Golden Globe nominations and 11 Academy Award nods. The new musical adaptation is poised to follow in its footsteps with two Golden Globe nominations for Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks. However, it did not receive a nomination for Best Musical or Comedy.
Fans of The Color Purple can look forward to the release of the movie musical in UK cinemas on January 26, 2024. While Beyoncé and Rihanna may not be part of the cast, the film promises to be a powerful and emotionally resonant adaptation of this beloved story.
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