Academy Award nominated actress Taraji P. Henson is set to star as Shug Avery in The Color Purple movie musical. According to Entertainment Tonight, The 51-year-old actress will join H.E.R. and Corey Hawkins in the Blitz Bazawule-directed project for Warner Bros.’ film adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name. The Tony-winning musical was an adaptation of the 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, which Steven Spielberg also adapted for his 1985 film starring an ensemble cast that included Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover and Margaret Avery.
Henson also confirmed the news on Instagram, writing, “That’s ⭐️ Shug Avery ⭐️ to you. I am beyond THRILLED to share this news with you I’ve been dying to tell y’all!!! I’m so honored to play this iconic role and I can’t wait to share more, very soon🤞🏾!! Catch yours truly in Blitz Bazawule’s #TheColorPurple next year 🎬💜💫”
Warner Bros. is behind the feature film adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical, itself an adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel by Alice Walker, on which the Oscar-nominated, Steven Spielberg-directed 1985 movie was based. The story centers on a woman named Celie Harris and tracks her lifelong struggles as an African-American woman living in the South during the early 1900s.
In addition to Taraji P. Henson, singer-songwriter Fantasia Barrino who grew to fame on the third season of American Idol, is in final negotiations to play Celie, a role that she played on stage on Broadway in 2007. Peacemaker co-star Danielle Brooks has also joined the cast of the feature, playing the role of Sofia.
Henson’s casting comes just weeks after she starred as Miss Hannigan in NBC’s Annie Live! Her performance landed her an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special.
Source: Entertainment Tonight