Upcoming FIlm ‘The Color Purple’ To Include Lesbian Love Story
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The upcoming film adaptation of Broadway’s The Color Purple will include the novel’s lesbian love story.
Based on Alice Walker’s 1982 novel of the same name, the official synopsis for The Color Purple reads, “A musical adaptation of Alice Walker’s novel about the life-long struggles of an African-American woman living in the South during the early 1900s.”
The story follows African-American teenager Celie, who lives in 1900’s Georgia. Written as a series of letters from Celie to God, we follow her trials and tribulations.
‘This Is A Love Story Between Two Women’
The book also features a love story between Celie, played by Fantasia Barrino, and Shug Avery, played by Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures). This love story was largely missing from the 1985 movie starring Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey.
Talking about the inclusion of the book’s lesbian love story, screenwriter Marcus Gardley told Queerty, “That’s part of the reason I got the job. My pitch led off with, ‘This is a love story between two women’. It was the most important thing to Alice Walker.
“In the original film, there was not enough of the romantic love between Celie and Shug. I wanted the love story to be prominent and didn’t want to brush over that these two women are in love.”
Produced By Oprah Winfrey
Directed by Blitz Bazawule (Black Is King) and written by Marcus Gardley (Maid). The film is also produced by Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg.
The film stars Fantasia Barrino, Colman Domingo (Fear the Walking Dead), Taraji P. Henson (Hidden Figures), Danielle Brooks (Orange Is the New Black), Corey Hawkins (In the Heights), H.E.R. (Judas and the Black Messiah), Halle Bailey (The Little Mermaid), and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (King Richard).
The Color Purple debuts in theatres on January 25, 2024 in Australia.
