Heavy Warner Bros.
“American Idol” season 3 winner Fantasia Barrino is hitting the big screen at the end of the year.
In May, Fantasia shared a trailer of “The Color Purple,” a Warner Bros. movie premiering in theaters on December 25. According to the trailer, it’s “a bold new take on the beloved classic” — which was released in 1985 and starred Danny Glover, Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey.
“The Color Purple” was originally a novel written by Alice Walker and published in 1982. Fantasia stars as Celie, the movie’s central protagonist. The story follows her “life-long struggles” as an “African American woman living in the south during the early 1900s,” according to the new film’s IMDb page. Goldberg originally played Celie.
This movie will also mark Fantasia’s major motion picture debut.
Fantasia Played Celie in ‘The Color Purple’ on Broadway
This isn’t Fantasia’s first experience playing Celie. After winning “American Idol” in 2004, she starred in the Broadway adaption of “The Color Purple” between 2007 and 2008. Fantasia spoke with Playbill at the time about her experience playing Celie.
“If you really put yourself in her shoes, that can be very tiring,” Fantasia said. “It can take a lot of energy out of you. I know when I get off the stage at night from shows, I’m exhausted. I run to my room, and I fall on the couch, and I have to take at least about ten minutes to wind down and to get my thoughts together and come out of the part of Celie.”
The 1985 film was headed by renowned director Steven Spielberg. Blitz Bazawule — known for directing the 2018 thriller “The Burial of Kojo” and Beyoncé’s visual album “Black Is King” — was charged with directing the new version.
Winfrey returned to “The Color Purple,” this time working off-screen as a producer. Spielberg is also credited as a producer for the film’s remake.
The movie releasing Christmas Day also stars Halle Bailey as Nettie, Danielle Brooks as Sofia, Colman Domingo as Mister, Corey Hawkins as Harpo, H.E.R. as Squeak and Phylicia Pearl Mpasi as Young Celie.
The 1985 classic was nominated for several awards, including several Oscars like 1986’s “Best Picture,” “Best Actress in a Leading Role” and “Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium.”
Fantasia’s ‘When I See U’ Has 194 Million Streams on Spotify
Fantasia has gone on to have a successful music career since winning “American Idol.” She’s released seven studio albums including “Free Yourself,” which she dropped the year she won the reality singing competition show. Her most recent album, “Sketchbook,” came out in 2019.
Fantasia has accumulated millions of streams on Spotify thanks to several singles like “Free Yourself (feat. Missy Elliot),” “Falling In Love Tonight,” “Truth Is” and “Lose to Win.” Her most notable song is “When I See U,” the single she released as part of her “Fantasia” album in 2006. It has just under 200 million plays on the platform.
Fantasia won season 3 of “American Idol” by besting Diana DeGarmo on finale night. The season featured multiple breakout stars, including Jennifer Hudson, LaToya London and “Eli-Mac.”