In the most recent installment of The Color Purple, Whoopi Goldberg makes an unexpected cameo.
In the film version of Alice Walker’s book from 1982, which was directed by Steven Spielberg and released in 1985, Goldberg played the role of Celie Johnson.
Phylicia Pearl Mpasi and Fantasia Barrino are now playing Celie at different phases of her life in the film version of the Broadway musical, which has returned to the big screen. The group that was responsible for the new version sought to find a way to include Goldberg, who was nominated for an Academy Award for his work in the original.
In the beginning of the movie, a young woman named Celie is seen giving birth, and Goldberg plays the role of a midwife who was there to help her during the process.
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, screenwriter Marcus Gardley said that “we struggled with figuring out where it could happen and what character she would be.” This is due to the fact that the Spielberg film had such a significant historical and cultural significance. The fact that these women grew up seeing these renowned parts served as a source of motivation for them to pursue careers in the acting industry.
In order to demonstrate a passing of the torch, Gardley said that he decided to include Goldberg into the plot in the role of a midwife.
He said, “That felt like the perfect part because she is the one to not only encourage her during the birth, but it’s like she herself gave birth to the role, and now we see her passing it down,” and he was referring to the fact that she helped her give birth to the role.
“It’s one of the most beautiful scenes because you see [Goldberg] looking upon [Mpasi] with pride and telling her, ‘You can do it,'” he continued to the publication. “It’s one of the most beautiful scenes.”
She has subsequently achieved decades of success on the big screen as an actress, producer, and talk-show co-host on The View. Goldberg’s major performance in the 1985 film Color Purple was just her second onscreen credit. subsequently then, she has enjoyed great success in the film industry.
Additionally, the director of the new movie, Blitz Bazawule, said to the Los Angeles Times that as a result of Goldberg’s propensity for telling jokes, the process of recording her cameo appearance offered opportunities for amusing takes.
As a result of everything that she did, we were forced to pause and laugh, and you tend to forget that she is a stand-up comedian. However, the thing that stands out the most to me is the fact that she showed Phylicia a great deal of affection and concern.
“It was symbolic not only because of what Whoopi represents in the canon of The Color Purple, but also because of what Whoopi represents in general — the juggernaut that she is and the doors that she kicked open,”
Recently, filmmaker Bazawule and other members of the film’s cast, including Barrino, Danielle Brooks, and Taraji P. Henson, made an appearance on The View to discuss the film with Goldberg.
During their presentation, the group took a minute to express their gratitude to Goldberg for her part in Spielberg’s film, which has been a source of inspiration for viewers for many decades.
“It’s been a brilliant Pulitzer Prize-winning book, it’s an incredible cinematic classic, and we owe you,” Bazawule said as everyone in the show’s studio stood to congratulate Goldberg. “We owe you,” Bazawule continued.
Brooks informed Goldberg, “We would not be here without you,” and Goldberg agreed.
At this very moment, cinemas are showing The Color Purple, a film that was co-produced by the original star, Oprah Winfrey.