Fantasia to star in Color Purple movie?- Page 2

[NYC_or_Bust]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 3:34am

I've been brooding about this post LONG before the thread ever started. I have to say I'm 100% backing the production for this film for the Silver Screen.

I'd love to see this done as a TV movie, but don't think it would get the exposure it really deserves. I still agree with my entire heart what Scott Sanders said, "This story NEEDED to sing".

However, I don't really think Fantasia really should be filling the role of Celie. No, I never saw her great performance, and I'm not saying she doesn't DESERVE it...I just feel there are other talented actresses who are MORE deserving of this role.

I would love to see this directed by Rob Marshall. And no, it's not because of CHICAGO. In fact, it has NOTHING to do with what he did for CHICAGO...I love love love love love Memoirs of a Geisha and think he could really do some amazing things with The Color Purple.

[OrdinaryJukebox]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 7:30am

It's a shame they won't look for a real actor to play this lovely role in a film version. I vote for LaChanze!!

-Vincent

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 8:50am

I'm with RyToast.

I'm sick of movies turned into musicals, musicals turned into movies, and movies turned into musicals turned back into movies.

[landryjames]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 10:55am

This is just the worst idea. Isn't there a difference with say the Hairspray movie first-Broadway musical-movie again idea, than with The Color Purple???

Are people forgetting that the movie is an absolute classic and this would tarner that image of that movie completely? Doing this with The Color Purple which is more along the lines of an iconic Gone With The Wind level than a Hairspray or Producers level.

Yuck.

Updated On: 3/7/08 at 10:55 AM

[Fosse76]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 10:56am

"Oh what's TV considered. the small screen?"

Yes. Yes it is. And Fantasia was phenomenol, that is until she started missing performances and started playing the role like Celie was perpetually five years old.

[WordedGrace]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 11:09am

I'd go with LaChanze since she won the Tony for the role. Fantasia couldn't act in her movie based on her own life.

[madbrian]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 11:10am

Will it be an all-idol production with JHud as Sofia and Latoya London as Shug?

[Kitzarina]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 11:20am

I'm sick of movies turned into musicals, musicals turned into movies, and movies turned into musicals turned back into movies.

Am I the only person who considers The Color Purple to be a brilliant Pulitzer Prize winning novel with a movie that almost lived up to the material and a musical that wasn't even in the same ballpark?

Or maybe I was just reading a novelization of Speilberg's film all along and never knew it. Someone should tell Alice Walker.

[Tom1071]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 11:25am

That's seems like awfully long time to wait for this movie. She wants to complete an album and go on tour? So the film won't begin production until at least 2009?

WordedGrace,

I thought she was terrible in her Lifetime movie but in her defense I think it's difficult to play yourself. Updated On: 3/7/08 at 11:25 AM

[Kev]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 2:15pm

It's a shame they won't look for a real actor to play this lovely role in a film version. I vote for LaChanze!!

Fantasia's acting in TCP was as real as it comes. It was beyond raw, genuine, and perfectly suited to the role of Celie. LaChanze, while wonderful, was contrived, in comparison.

I'd go with LaChanze since she won the Tony for the role. Fantasia couldn't act in her movie based on her own life.

Aside from Fantasia being a terrific Celie, she also has a name. LaChanze does not (not to mention she's simply too pretty for the role.) And I think Fantasia's Lifetime film is best forgotten. It really doesn't compare to the live performance she gave in TCP.

If Oprah's ready and willing to fund this project, with a leading lady that re-defined the role of Celie, why the hell not.

[acrocksyo]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 2:31pm

Uh anyone see Fantasia playing herself in the made for TV movie based on her memoir? Yeah here's hoping she takes some on screen acting lessons before she does this, or rather if they decide to go through with it.

And come on, with Oprah now producing movies, she can have an Oprah Movie club, so the mindless masses can flock to the theater because she said so!

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 2:35pm

I don't think we can really be fair because we have only seen her in a horrible made for TV movie that was filmed in a short amount of time. I felt the entire direction for the show was awful. I am really excited about a movie musical because it exposes more people to the material.

[NYC_or_Bust]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 3:03pm

You people kill me...I think you'd be singing a different tune if Oprah's producing credits involved a Silver Screen production of WICKED or Xanada. You would be in that mindless mass of which you speak. Oprah says "See WICKED", you see Wicked.

If you remember the interview she gave with Ann Curry. Oprah said that she's to the point where she will NOT put her soul or her checkbook into something that she doesnt with ever fiber of her being believe in.

I think with a good director, a stellar cast, Jonathan Tunick behind the orchestrations, Colleen Atwood on Costumes, etc...this could be a really great movie musical. Get over yourselves!

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 4:15pm

"Am I the only person who considers The Color Purple to be a brilliant Pulitzer Prize winning novel with a movie that almost lived up to the material and a musical that wasn't even in the same ballpark?"

I totally agree, it's not even close.

[Muhlethaler]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 4:50pm

Updated On: 6/18/20 at 04:50 PM

[RetroBoy]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 4:51pm

NYC_or_Bust wrote:

"I just feel there are other talented actresses who are MORE deserving of this role."

I'm all for someone stating their opinions but when someone makes a statement like that the very least they can do is list some examples to back the statement up.

[tazber]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 4:54pm

Oprah better produce, otherwise who would see it?
It's a sub-par musical of a better movie that was in itself a sub-par translation of an even better book.

Fantasia is a name for about 6 more months or so. No hit single, and she's 2 season's of AI old.

So, by the time this comes to fruition who is really gonna be clamoring for it?

[NYC_or_Bust]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 5:48pm

Retroboy...If you want my opinion for choices for the role of Celie..here it is, with some explaination


I would love to see the same thing happen for The Color Purple that happened for Hairspray (the idea anway)..get an AMAZING supporting cast to back up a "new comer". Now let me point out. I do NOT believe the cast of Hairspary to be AMAZING. I think Michelle Phiefer was completely wrong, Walken..as much as I love him...again, wrong...I'm even a little iffy about Travolta. I CERTAINLY do not believe that Queen Latifah was belty enough for motormouth. But what I'm getting at is if you want to sell tickets, the role of celie will not make or break your movie.

If that were true and people only came to see Hairspray for the Tracy...no one but the Blonskey family would have been there at the local theater.

I would absolutely LOVE to see Jeanette Bayradelle play Celie. I saw LaChanze do the role very soon after the show opened and she was wonderful. But, Jeanette left me in tears. It was January 2007 when I saw her performance and over a year later, I'm still riding high from the performance she gave.

If you want me to further my casting opinions to back this STELLAR casting theroy I have..I'd say:

Shug Avery (Whitney Houston)
*I think this would be a great comeback role for her. A great part but yet not so much that she feels like she has to carry the movie.

Mister (Jamie Foxx)
*I love to see this guy get mad. He has such a great range of emotions. And, I think if he didn't sell out and do a pop version of Ms. Celie's Curse, he could really be a stand out in this film

Sofia (Queen Latifah)
*Now HERE'S a better role for her. I'd love to see a no holds barred version of HELL NO.

Nettie (Raven Symone)
*You're probably laughing right now. But I think the girl has something to offer FAR beyond "College Roadtrip". Yeah she looks like she's got more personality (and maybe even too much to have chemistry with Jeanette). But for me, that's kind of the the point. Nettie is the one that Mister wants. She's more beautiful in every way. But the less and less we see of her in the story the more and more we see and fall in love with Celie.

Old Mister (Bill Cosby)
*A TRUE old timer who's probably past his prime as well
but this man is STILL smart as a whip.


All in all I'm still VERY open to suggestions. And who knows, maybe Oprah does know best and wants to wait for Fantasia to finish her projects. But I think it all comes down to one question..Is the AUDIENCE willing to wait for her?

Updated On: 3/7/08 at 05:48 PM

[tazber]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 5:49pm

I say Rueben Studdard would be the best Sofia

[NYC_or_Bust]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 5:56pm

I agree Tazber! That IS the guy from Duece Bigelow, right?

[Kalimba]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 5:59pm

Honestly, everytime I see Fantasia's name I can't help but picture the sweaty crotch photos.

[peaceone]

Posted: 3/7/08 at 8:00pm

Some said she would destroy The Color Purple when she took over and we know what happened with that, now some are doubting her skills on the big screen. Haven't we learned by now to never under estimate Fantasia or the producers who will bring this to Hollywood. Wait and see thats the best way to do this.

And to the person who said she will be gone in 6 months and she didn't have a hit single..WRONG on that one, a matter of fact her single "WHEN I SEE U" was number 1 for 8 weeks on the r&b charts while she was on Broadway and she was nominated for 3 grammy awards.

Smile and the world Smile's with you...

Take care all!!!
Updated On: 3/7/08 at 08:00 PM

[silent]

Posted: 3/16/08 at 12:59am

As soon as I heard about the film, Jamie Foxx's name came to mind. While I thought he phoned it in in "Dreamgirls," he and Fantasia have good chemistry and I can see him playing Mister. As for Shug Avery, I would love to see Deborah Cox in the role. I bet Queen Latifah will be cast as Miss Sofia.