Why Oprah Winfrey Decided Against Casting Beyoncé and Rihanna in ‘The Color Purple’ Revealed.

The Color Purple has garnered enthusiastic acclaim and secured two Golden Globe nominations, with Danielle Brooks earning a nod for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role and Fantasia Barrino receiving recognition for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. Remarkably, the film hasn’t even been released in theaters yet. However, there was a time when the studio considered different individuals for the lead roles. In a conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, executive producer Oprah Winfrey explained her decision to decline the studio’s proposal to cast Beyoncé and Rihanna.

To be perfectly frank, if the budget for this film were in the range of $30 to $40 million, the casting considerations would be quite different,” she elaborated during the interview, which was conducted in the presence of Brooks, Barrino, and Taraji P. Henson. “However, as the film’s budget escalated to $90 to $100 million, suddenly everyone was eager for us to secure Beyoncé or Rihanna. So, we found ourselves deliberating, ‘While we have immense admiration for Beyoncé and Rihanna, there are other talented actors who can excel in these roles.’

Even if they had approached Beyoncé, Oprah had strong reservations, given the Grammy-winning artist’s demanding schedule due to her record-breaking RENAISSANCE world tour this year. “I distinctly recall discussions where we acknowledged that Beyoncé would be incredibly occupied this year,” she reminisced. “It wasn’t even a matter of negotiation; securing Beyoncé was simply not feasible.”

In the 1985 original production of the film, Winfrey portrayed the character Sofia, a role that Brooks now takes on in both the new film and the Broadway adaptation. Winfrey expressed her confidence in Brooks being the perfect choice for the film, a conviction she formed the moment she witnessed Brooks’s stage performance.

“Danielle, my goodness, I was certain right from the start,” Winfrey enthusiastically exclaimed. “One of the most delightful moments for me was making that call to her, as I had been an avid observer of her on Broadway. While there were other candidates, she truly embodied the role.”