Aunjanue Ellis
BENNETT RAGLIN/BET/GETTY IMAGES
New casting updates for Warner Bros. Pictures upcoming film, The Color Purple, coming to theatres worldwide in December 2023.
Aunjanue Ellis will join the cast as the role of Mama, Celie and Nettie’s mother. She is the embodiment of The Great Ancestor and the source of both Celie and Nettie’s awe-inspiring strength.
Previously announced casting and film information is listed below:
- Fantasia Barrino as Celie, in her feature debut
- Ciara as Nettie
- Danielle Brooks (HBO Max’s The Peacemaker, Netflix’s Orange is the New Black) as Sofia
- Taraji P. Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, TV’s Empire) as Shug Avery
- Colman Domingo (Zola, Lincoln) as Mister
- Corey Hawkins (In the Heights, Straight Outta Compton) as Harpo
- Halle Bailey (TV’s Grown-ish) as Young Nettie
- H.E.R. as Squeak, in her feature debut
- Louis Gossett Jr. (An Officer and a Gentleman, TV’s Roots) as Ol’ Mister
- David Alan Grier (Native Son, Netflix’s Dad Stop Embarrassing Me) as Reverand Avery
- Tamela J. Mann (Madea Goes to Jail, Diary of a Mad Black Woman) as First Lady
- Phylicia Mpasi as Young Celie, in her feature debut
- Deon Cole (The Harder They Fall, TV’s Black-ish) as Alfonso
- Stephen Hill (TV’s Magnum P.I., Widows) as Buster
Production began this March in Atlanta. It is a story of triumph over adversity and is one of the most beloved, celebrated and inspiring family stories in our culture today – it has touched the hearts of millions of people around the world.
This fresh cinematic re-imagining of The Color Purple – featuring magical realism, music and dancing to tell the story – will delight lovers of earlier versions of The Color Purple as well as introduce these beloved characters to an entirely new generation of fans.
This new musical feature of The Color Purple is a screen adaptation of the stage musical which has been recognized with Tony Award, Grammy Award and Emmy Award wins.
