Whoopi Goldberg fans remain loyal to star as film that sparked global fame is remade Tue 23 May 2023 17:07 Updated Sat 17 June 2023 11:05 Helen Williams
William Harris The Color Purple has been remade in 2023 with Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders, and Quincy Jones listed as producers. The movie’s reboot trailer released on May 22. Whoopi Goldberg fans are taking to social media to express their loyalty to her after she played Celie in the original 1985 film.
Whoopi Goldberg was nominated for an Academy Award in 1985 after starring in the movie and she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in 1986 for her role as Celie. Originally, The Color Purple was written as a book by Alice Walker. It won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction. Since then, it has been adapted for a musical and remade for film.
Whoopi Goldberg in The Color Purple
Whoopi Goldberg’s breakthrough movie role came around in 1985 with The Color Purple.
Director Steven Spielberg cast Whoopi for the leading role. She starred alongside huge stars including Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey.
The Color Purple tells the story of Celie, a young girl who lives in the American South in the early 1900s. Celie begins writing letters to God after being subjected to abuse.
At the time of filming, Whoopi was around 30 years old. The Daily Mail reported in 2020 that the actor initially rejected the role of Celie for fears that it was “too big” for her. The movie ended up being a huge box office success, making $98.4 million.
The Color Purple trailer is released
On May 22, The Color Purple’s reboot trailer was released.
The movie is hailed as a “bold new take on the beloved classic,” and is directed by Blitz Bazawule.
The 2023 movie stars Taraji P. Henson, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, H.E.R., Halle Bailey, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks.
The Color Purple’s 2023 release is set for December 25. It is based on the stage musical of the same name.
Whoopi’s fans say she ‘can’t be outdone’
As the new The Color Purple trailer drops in 2023, many of Whoopi’s fans have taken to social media to comment their thoughts.
Some refer to Whoopi as the “OG,” while more said that the actor “showed out” in her role as Celie.
One fan asked: “Can they really outdo Whoopi Goldberg’s performance in the Color Purple?”
More wrote that they think the 1985 film version’s “magnificence” can’t be topped.
For me, nothing will ever top the magnificence of the 1985 film version, starring Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover & Oprah Winfrey, & directed by Steven Spielberg. I am, however, looking forward to seeing this film adaptation of the broadway musical version of “The Color Purple.”
— Tom Edwards (@Tom_Edwards) May 22, 2023