Why Whoopi Goldberg’s The Color Purple Cameo Was ‘The Perfect Part’ For Her According To The Screenwriter
The OG Celie showed up to support the new Celie.
Warning: Mild spoilers for The Color Purple are ahead! If you haven’t seen the musical on the 2023 movie schedule, you can catch it now in theaters.
Whoopi Goldberg’s first lead role was in Steven Spielberg’s 1985 adaptation of The Color Purple. She received wide acclaim for her performance as the lead Celie, as well as an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. So, in the new musical version of The Color Purple, the actress returned for a sweet surprise cameo, and the screenwriter is explaining how “the perfect part” came to be.
What Role Did Whoopi Goldberg Play In 2023’s The Color Purple?
Blitz Bazawule’s The Color Purple begins in a similar way to Spielberg’s ‘85 film with a teenaged Celie giving birth to her second child – whose father is the same man who claims to be Celie’s dad. She knows he’s going to take the baby away, and is devastated. However, in the 2023 adaptation, there’s someone else along with Celie’s sister Nettie to help her through the process, a midwife played by Whoopi Goldberg.
The Oscar-winner has one line in the movie, as she comforts Phylicia Pearl Mpasi’s young Celie through the birth, she says:
It’s a sweet moment that nods to one of Goldberg’s best performances, as she helps Mpasi’s Celie. And it turns out, this role was perfect for the comedian because of her history with The Color Purple.
Why This Cameo Was ‘The Perfect Part’ For Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg’s cameo was a way for The Color Purple cast to pay tribute to the actress behind Celie in Spielberg’s 1985 film, according to the LA Times. Her performance was highly praised and the original movie earned a lot of acclaim and eleven Oscar nominations. Speaking about the cameo, screenwriter Marcus Gardley explained why it was "perfect" for her and the film, saying:
While they eventually landed on the perfect cameo for Goldberg that had a lot of meaning baked into it, it took them a while to land on the idea. Speaking about trying to figure out a role for the actress to play, Gardley said:
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Director Blitz Bazawule also said the actress loved working on the set, and she wanted to support the cast in any way she could. He said she was there to “pass the baton” to both young Celie, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, as well as the older Celie, Fantasia Barrino, as this is a major moment in both their careers.
Well, the baton has been passed, and these two women are massive reasons why The Color Purple was met with great reactions from critics and fans. Like Whoopi Goldberg, this film will likely be a career-defining moment for them, and the comedian was there to hold their hand and support them.
To see Whoopi Goldberg’s cameo in The Color Purple, you can catch the musical in theaters now. And to see the actress’s incredible lead performance in the 1985 film of the same name, all you need is a Max subscription.
Riley Utley is the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. She has written for national publications as well as daily and alt-weekly newspapers in Spokane, Washington, Syracuse, New York and Charleston, South Carolina. She graduated with her master’s degree in arts journalism and communications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Since joining the CB team she has covered numerous TV shows and movies -- including her personal favorite shows Ted Lasso and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She also has followed and consistently written about everything from Taylor Swift to Fire Country, and she's enjoyed every second of it.