A Look at ‘The Color Purple’ Cast, Then and Now

On Christmas Day, the world will be reintroduced to the story of “The Color Purple.”

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Adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Alice Walker, the book was originally brought to the big screen in 1985. Starring Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover and Margaret Avery, the Stephen Spielberg-directed seminal film told the heartbreaking, coming-of-age story of Celie Harris, a dark-skinned young Black girl subjected to years of abuse by the men in her life and forced away from her younger sister Nettie.

It isn’t until she meets her new friends — namely Sofia and Shug Avery — that Celie learns what it means to truly be free and to live life on her own terms, away from pain, struggle, and oppression.

In anticipation of the new movie musical adaptation of “The Color Purple,” let’s take a look back at the iconic 1985 cast and who takes on their roles in the new film.

Adult Celie, Then: Whoopi Goldberg|| Now: Fantasia Barrino-Taylor

Young Celie, then: Desreta Jackson|| Now: Phylicia Pearl Mpasi

Young Nettie, then: Akosua Busia|| Now: Halle Bailey

Adult Nettie, then: Akosua Busia|| Now: Ciara

Sofia, then: Oprah Winfrey|| Now: Danielle Brooks

Shug Avery, then: Margaret Avery|| Now: Taraji P. Henson

Mister, then: Danny Glover|| Now: Colman Domingo

Old Mister, then: Adolph Caesar|| Now: Louis Gossett Jr.

Rev. Samuel Avery, then: Carl Anderson|| Now: David Alan Grier

Adult Harpo, then: Willard Pugh|| Now: Corey Hawkins

Grady, Shug’s Husband, then: Bennet Guillory|| Now: Jon Batiste

Papa Harris, then: Leonard Jackson|| Now: Deon Cole

Squeak, then: Rae Dawn Chong|| Now: H.E.R.