In the new Warner Brothers teaser for the upcoming musical drama The Color Purple, Oprah Winfrey, Jon Batiste and other cast and crew share their experience filming the beloved project. 

Winfrey, star of the original 1985 film and producer of the 2023 adaptation, opened up about the film’s significance.

“There’s nothing that’s been more important or vital to me culturally, artistically than The Color Purple,” she said. “It is a solid base of spiritual and emotional power for me.”

Winfrey added that the musical’s story is for anyone who has felt “unseen and unvalued.”

Director Blitz Bazawule echoed Winfrey’s sentiment about the film’s cultural impact, saying that the original “is one of the cornerstones of culture — certainly Black culture.” 

Ciara, who plays Nettie, acknowledged the “modern twist” Bazawule has added to the revamped version while “still capturing the essence of what this film means.” 

Fantasia, who plays Nettie’s sister, Celie, said that with the film, they aim to “connect with the younger generation.”

“It’s a human story and that’s what makes it ultimately great and enduring,” Jon Batiste added. 

Joining the singers as part of the cast are stars Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Corey Hawkins, Colman Domingo, H.E.R., Halle Bailey, Danielle Brooks, Taraji P. Henson and a host of other top entertainers. 

The Color Purple is produced by the 1985 film’s director Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones. The film’s screenplay is written by Marcus Gardley, based on the stage musical and the 1982 novel of the same name by Alice Walker. The film, due out December 25, chronicles the story of lifelong struggles of Black women living in the South during the early 1900s.

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