Photo: Steven Ferdman/Getty
Taraji P. Henson has loved the experience filmingThe Color Purple.
At CultureCon New York, the actress told audiences about the experience of starring in the movie musical — which is adapted from the Tony-winning Broadway musical — and the importance of having representation behind the camera to bring the piece to life for the big screen.
“It was empowering,” she said. “I think you guys are going to be experiencingThe Color Purplefor the first time from a Black perspective.”
Henson, 52, added that one of the producers for the project, Steven Spielberg, who directed the 1985 film, understood the importance of having a Black person tell the story. “You will see the differences right away,” she told the CultureCon attendees. “That’s why it’s important for all you filmmakers, writers, up-and-coming producers and directors [to] tell our stories.”
Henson explained that thisThe Color Purpleproject will not harp on trauma. Instead, the actress shared that audiences will be taken inside Celie’s imagination, which is where happiness lived. “It’s a very joyous film,” she said.
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The actress also touched on how she pulls from her own experiences when approaching her starring roles. “I’m a Black woman, you got to be multifaceted to maneuver in this world,” she said. “I tap into what I would do in those situations, how I would overcome [them].”
She added, “I came to Hollywood an underdog. I identify with those roles because I’m always rooting for the underdog, so I just tap into my own personal life experiences, and if I can’t, I do research. I’ll call someone I know went through the same experiences a character I’m portraying might be going through.”
source: people.com
