LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 06: Danielle Brooks attends the World Premiere of Warner Bros.' "The Color Purple" at Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on December 06, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.
Nobody knows the role of "Sofia" in the upcoming December 25 film adaption of "The Color Purple" better than Danielle Brooks. Before the big screen portrayal of the character, Brooks already had the chance to study and perform as her in the 2015 Broadway revival of the IP.
This previous portrayal has even earned Brooks a Tony nod and bagged her a Grammy win. In a red carpet interview during an exclusive screening of the film, Brooks told Vulture that the "core" of what identifies "Sofia" as a character is similar between the two iterations she took part in.
"The differences come from the environment and what I'm given," Brooks added, explaining that, unlike the controlled multi-shot scenes of a film, a theatrical performance can "stifle the actor" due to not being able to "change things" once the show starts. During her Broadway run, it would often be too late when it comes to incorporating things you learn along the way, the actor said.
In contrast, Brooks sang praises for the big screen adaptation, in terms of giving the performer artistic freedom, saying, "With the film, I was really able to spread my wings." The actor said she could even talk to the film's director, Blitz Bazawule, to try new ideas she came up with.
On Oprah Winfrey, the 1985 'Sofia,' Mentoring Danielle Brooks
In addition to having prior experience in the role-within a Broadway production, no less-Brooks was also able to get personal tips from the original film "Sofia" herself, Oprah Winfrey, who starred in Steven Spielberg's 1985 movie iteration of the IP.
Oprah's deep understanding of the role and the film's core identity regarding the color purple, proved to be huge for Brooks during filming, especially as Oprah attended the shoot of the crucial "Sofia" monologue scene.
According to Brooks, she was "freaking out" on the inside as it all played out, but in the end, she was able to focus on the performance itself and "let Sofia do her thing and live within me," finishing the scene flawlessly.
"I remember at the end, me and Miss Oprah embraced and we were both crying, and she actually said, 'You did it and it is well,' which just made me so happy," Brooks shared.
"The Color Purple" will be in theaters this upcoming Christmas day and is produced by Hollywood hard-hitters Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Scott Sanders, and Quincy Jones.
Read More: Adorned in Purple: Oprah Winfrey's Smithsonian Painting Revealed at the National Portrait Gallery
