Whoopi Goldberg's Cameo in The Color Purple (2023)

Whoopi Goldberg's Return to The Color Purple

The newest adaptation of The Color Purple brings the stage musical to the screen with a special appearance from Whoopi Goldberg, who had her breakthrough performance almost 40 years ago in the Steven Spielberg film. Goldberg plays a minor role in The Color Purple movie musical after starring as Celie in 1985. Continuing the success of the original, The Color Purple has already broken box office records, reminding viewers of the timelessness of Alice Walker’s story.

Phylicia Pearl Mpasi as a young Celie holding a broom in The Color Purple

Steven Spielberg’s adaptation was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, including one for Whoopi Goldberg, who was considered snubbed when she lost the Best Actress Oscar to Out of Africa’s Geraldine Page. With all its acclaim, 2023’s The Color Purple has earned a higher Rotten Tomatoes critics' score than its predecessor, proving just how great the musical is. One of the biggest reasons The Color Purple still resonates with audiences is Celie’s story, which both Whoopi and Fantasia Barrino have now been able to share with movie-going audiences.

Whoopi Goldberg As Celie Smiling In The Color Purple.jpg

Oprah Winfrey's Involvement in The Color Purple

Another actress who got her start in Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple was Oprah Winfrey, who played the supporting character of Sofia and earned her own Oscar nomination. Since then, Oprah has been involved as a producer of the 2005 stage adaptation, its 2015 revival, and the 2023 musical movie. With how involved Oprah has been in the continuous adaptations of Alice Walker’s novel, it only made sense to bring back the original star of The Color Purple for its newest incarnation, even if just for a small scene.

In The Color Purple movie musical, Goldberg played the midwife who delivered Celie’s second baby before he was taken away from her by her father. It’s a quick moment that occurs early on in the film, but it’s a nice nod to Whoopi, the original movie, and her brilliant performance. Having her play the midwife was the perfect way to bring Whoopi back, as it signified her having brought The Color Purple to life, as well as helping the new cast do the same with the movie musical. This made it a special moment not just for the actors but for viewers who grew up with the original as well.

Whoopi Goldberg's Impact as Celie

Whoopi Goldberg has starred in many movies throughout her storied career as an actor, comedian, author, and television personality. For her work, she’s one of the few entertainers to have received an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Academy, and Tony Award). Though she didn’t win any of these awards for The Color Purple, it remains one of her best, if not her best, performances of all time. Not only did Celie put Whoopi on the map, but it introduced her as one of the greatest entertainers of her time.

Whoopi was around 30 years old when she played Celie in 1985’s The Color Purple, but convincingly played her from a meek young girl to a wise, strong middle-aged woman. Celie’s emotional journey was the heart of The Color Purple, and though it wasn’t easy to pull off and required great range, Whoopi managed to do so in one of her first film performances. Many movies show off Whoopi’s comedic strengths, but The Color Purple is the greatest example of her emotional depth. With The Color Purple being such a part of Whoopi’s legacy, her cameo in the 2023 adaptation was a fitting way to honor her work.