The Color Purple Movie Musical Adaptation Casts Taraji P. Henson As Shug
Taraji P. Henson will star as Shug Avery in The Color Purple directed by Blitz Bazawule. The film is an adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical The Color Purple, which in turn is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Alice Walker. Bazawule is best known for his work on Beyonce’s Black is King, streaming on Disney+. The story of The Color Purple follows Celie, who struggles to gain her confidence as a Black woman in the American south during the turn of the 20th century.
According to Variety, Taraji P. Henson was recently cast as Shug Avery in The Color Purple. In the original novel, Shug Avery is a highly sought-after blues singer who develops a strong connection with the protagonist, Celie. The role has previously been played by Broadway legends Heather Headley, Michelle Williams, and Jennifer Hudson. Henson, known for her work as Cookie Lyon in Empire and Katherine G. Johnson in Hidden Figures, joins an ensemble filled with growing talent, including Corey Hawkins (In the Heights) and musician H.E.R.
Related: The Color Purple Remake Updates & News
The casting of Celie has yet to be announced, but many hope for actress Cynthia Erivo to take on the role once again after her Tony Award-winning performance in The Color Purple revival back in 2015. This may be unlikely, however, due to Erivo’s casting as Elphaba in the upcoming Wicked film adaptation. Henson has appeared in music-driven films before like Hustle & Flow where her performance on the song “It's Hard out Here for a Pimp” won an Academy Award for Best Original Song, so it’s safe to say the casting choice for Shug fits well. With Steven Spielberg, original star Oprah Winfrey (who played Sofia in the 1985 film), and original author Alice Walker
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