The Color Purple from Book to Screen
By Alice Walker
In 1982, Alice Walker's "The Color Purple" emerged as a ground-breaking novel, earning her the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. BlackBoard had the honor of hosting Alice Walker as a special guest of honor at the Blackboard Reception when it was held in Los Angeles, California. What an honor and a pleasure to meet her, with her display of kind, gentle, and humble greatness. Since this book was published, nearly four decades later, the story's transition from book to film is wildly popular again thanks to Oprah Winfrey and the new release of the star-studded movie. Walker allows readers to view the world through Celie's world. Walker immerses the reader into the innermost thoughts of Celie from a helpless victim, suffering years of abuse by Mister, to a strong and independent woman. In 1985, director Steven Spielberg produced the movie with a score by Quincy Jones, and a celebrity cast that included Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg, and Danny Glover. In 2023, nearly 40 years later, Fantasia Barrino took on the role of Celie in the musical adaptation. One of the most touching moments of the new “The Color Purple” movie was a guest appearance by Whoopi Goldberg. Halle Bailey plays the role of Nettie, Celie’s supporter, and symbol of hope. The lively Shug Avery played by Taraji P. Henson stole the heart of both Mister and Celie. Danielle Brooks took on the role of Sophia in the musical adaptation and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Rolee. Corey Hawkins took on the role of Harpo and along with starring beside Brooks he has a long-term classmate history with Brooks as Juilliard alumni. From the original Color Purple book, we can now have a Color Purple marathon from reading the book, scholarly articles, reviews, the original film and cinematic musical adaptation.