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Ciara is ‘Honored’ to Join Cast of ‘The Color Purple’ Musical

Ciara
Ciara performs on SiriusXM Hits 1 at the SiriusXM Studios In New York on May 07, 2019, in New York City.
(May 6, 2019 – Source: Noam Galai/Getty Images North America)

*Ciara has joined the cast of the upcoming “The Color Purple” movie musical starring Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks and Taraji P. Henson

The Grammy winner, 36, will play Nettie, the younger sister of Celie (played by Barrino), Entertainment Weekly reports.

“Honored to be a part of this beautiful ensemble and historic film, The Color Purple,” Ciara tweeted following the announcement. “Truly grateful.”

As reported by Variety, the forthcoming Warner Bros. movie musical is an adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical from Marsha Norman, Brenda Lee, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, which was based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning epistolary novel by Alice Walker

READ MORE: Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks Tapped to Star in ‘The Color Purple’ Movie Musical

Fantasia, Danielle Brooks

Directed by Blitz Bazawule, the upcoming film follows the classic 1985 film adaptation from director Steven Spielberg and centers on Celie, a Black Southern woman who struggles to find her identity amid decades of abuse. Whoopi Goldberg played Celie in Spielberg’s film. 

Spielberg’s film was a box office success, grossing $142 million against a budget of $15 million.

We reported previously that Taraji P. Henson has been tapped to star as Shug Avery in Bazawule’s “The Color Purple,” and Brooks will co-star as Sofia. They join previously announced stars Corey Hawkins (as Harpo) and singer H.E.R. as Squeak (played by Rae Dawn Chong in Spielberg’s film).

Bazawule will direct the movie musical from a script penned by Marcus Gardley (“The Chi”) and based on Walker’s novel. Bazawule is best known for his work on Beyoncé’s “Black is King,” “The Burial of Kojo” and “Cherish the Day.”

Spielberg, Quincy Jones (who produced Spielberg’s 1985 version) and Oprah Winfrey (who starred in the film and was nominated for an Oscar) signed on as producers for Bazawule’s project in 2018.

Barrino previously played Celie in 2007 during the initial Broadway run of “The Color Purple.” She opened up to PEOPLE at the time about the advice she received from Winfrey. 

“Oprah gave me a lot of advice. She sat me down … Just, you know, how a lady should carry herself. How to manage your money. How to not put your trust in everybody. Just watch your back,” Barrino said at the time.

“But most of all, you have to watch what you do. You have to carry yourself in such a way. You have to just watch your every move and carry yourself as a lady,” Barrino added. “So other young ladies who are watching you will know this is how you do it.”

Production on the film is reportedly scheduled to begin this month in Georgia. 

The new adaptation is slated for a Dec. 20, 2023 release. 

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