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Winfrey than took the stage with the pic’s director Blitz Bazawule, and told the room it was her first time at CinemaCon. “This is first circle moment for me to be a part of this film,”said Winfrey who starred in the 1985 Spielberg directed version of the Alice Walker novel.
Winfrey said that the new musical version brings “magical realism, wholesome family goodness” to the screen. She extoled Bazawule, “we knew you were the director to bring this version to the screen. How did you know you were the one?”
Bazawule, “I started this journey with the utmost respect for you, but also for Alice Walker, whose book gave us this amazing story….At its core it’s about finding your voice, your family and breaking through obstacles which keep you down.”
“We’re going to get the groups in the seats,” said Winfrey, “It’s a celebration of sisterhood.”
They showed off the trailer — and boy is it rythmic and mesmerizing set to a bass beat with the tagline “Not Your Mama’s Color Purple” The trailer is filled with lush Southern backgrounds, beaches, grand period costumes we see Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery saying “I was married to a man I didn’t know”. There’s a shot of a 1920s band set on stage, and Henson adds “We got to show these folks we belong.” The pic stars Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, Jon Batiste, Halle Bailey and more.
Winfrey played the role of Sofia in the Spielberg movie, and in this version it’s played by Brooks.
“We’ve been doing previews that have been off the charts,” said Winfrey about Color Purple.
Henson added, “Shug is a complex character of the era…she was singing jazz and blues…it enchanced me to learn how women were when they didn’t have a voice.”
Brooks said, “Getting to hear ‘Hell No’ which is the anthem of this movie in the trailer…the music will never die, it will live forever. The world get to experience this music, it’s definitely healing.”
Fantasia Barrino who plays Celie and also played her on Broadway said that at the time her life was so much like the character, but her life had changed since and she wasn’t certain she could go back into the role, “I had to pull up some things I’d walked away from. I felt safe and able to go back into that place… It means a lot to me because I’ve come so far, I am Celie”
“When I got the call from Quincy Jones..it became quite a blur to me. I was so out of my body the whole time. I’m asking you all to stay in your body, and enjoy the Purple experience and to bring it to the theaters.”
“It can only be experienced on the big screen,” added Winfrey about the The Color Purple which opens on Christmas Day.
