Oprah Reveals She Only Made $35,000 For Oscar-Nominated Film ‘The Color Purple’: ‘It Changed Everything’

Oprah

Oprah Reveals She Only Made $35,000 For Oscar-Nominated Film ‘The Color Purple’: ‘It Changed Everything’

Oprah Winfrey has definitely come a long way since the beginning stages of her career.

The famed media personality made her film debut in 1985 in the critically acclaimed project “The Color Purple.” Oprah portrayed Sofia in the movie that’s based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel of the same name. Following its release, the movie and its stars went on to earn several accolades, including a Blue Ribbon Award, a Directors Guild of America Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Black Movie Award. The project also received multiple Academy Award nominations, with Oprah personally scoring a nod for Best Supporting Actress.

As previously reported, in December, a musical version of the coming-of-age period drama film – based on the stage musical of the same name – will give movie lovers a chance to see “The Color Purple” through a new lens. This time around, Sofia will be played by Danielle Brooks. Some other celebs who are part of the film are Fantasia Barrino (as Celie Harris-Johnson), Taraji P. Henson (as Shug Avery), H.E.R. (as Squeak / Mary Agnes), Ciara (as Nettie Harris) and Halle Bailey (as young Nettie). Oprah won’t appear in front of the camera, but she was still heavily involved with the 2023 musical, serving as an executive producer.

During a recent interview with Essence, the former talk show host spoke about her full circle moment and said,

“I can’t even begin to tell you what it means to me — a person who wanted nothing more in my life than to be in ‘The Color Purple.’”

She continued,

“And God taught me to surrender — that was the big lesson for me. They were only offering $35,000 to be in this film, and it is the best $35,000 I ever earned. It changed everything and taught me so much. It is God moving through my life.”

Oprah

According to reports, The original “Color Purple” film grossed $98.4 million against a $15 million budget.

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