Ciara To Star In Musical Film 'The Color Purple,' Says She Is Truly Grateful

Ciara has bossed the music business, particularly the r&b scene, since she began her career in 2003, delivering legendary love songs, heartache healers, and undeniable uplifters. She has demonstrated throughout the time that she not only has a knack for singing, but she also has impressive acting talents, earning her necessary screen time in the film business.

Although the actress took a hiatus to focus on her family, the singer returned to the music arena in 2020 with her single "Rooted," which features Ester Dean. Now, the "Level Up" singer has been cast in a coming-of-age musical drama "The Color Purple."

Ciara is making her acting comeback after a cameo appearance in one episode of Nickelodeon's sketch comedy series "All That" in the eleventh season. The singer will now play Nettie, the younger sister of Celie (Fantasia Barrino), in "The Color Purple," with fellow music artist and actor Halle Bailey earlier revealed to play the younger version of the character.

The mother of three verified the announcement of her future role by sharing a link to an Entertainment Weekly story that provided further information about the film. She also expressed her thanks for having the opportunity to work with some of the greatest in the entertainment business.

https://twitter.com/ciara/status/1506302133204779015?s=20&t=uzAj9p-PK0aFdbR_WeZN1w

"Honored to be a part of this beautiful ensemble and historic film, The Color Purple. Truly grateful, Ciara tweeted on Tuesday."

Ciara's followers reacted positively to the news, pouring in supportive words and expressing their eagerness to see her in the coming-of-age drama.

In 2007, Barrino initially portrayed Celie, the older sister of Ciara's character in the Broadway production of the drama, reenacting the exact role played by Whoopi Goldberg in the 1985 film adaptation.

In the forthcoming film, she will reprise the role, which will undoubtedly bring back warm memories for the actor.

At the time, Barrino said in an interview with "Oprah" that she and her Celie character had been in comparable situations. She disclosed her troubled past of sexual assault, illiteracy, and poverty, but like her character, she maintained her faith and persevered until she achieved her goals.

It'll be interesting to see how effectively Barrino and Ciara work together. Given their abilities, the future film should receive positive reviews when it hits theaters.

Barrino also discussed her first time watching the film adaptation of "The Color Purple," revealing that it pulled at her heartstrings due to the similarities between the character's harsh circumstances and hers.

"I had seen the movie," the American Idol alumina said during the interview. "but it's such an inspirational play. I was crying. I was saying, 'Oh, Lord, I hope I'm not the only one crying!' "

"It's one of those plays that ... when you leave, you will have your head up, and you will be like, 'You know what? I'm going through some things, but that's all right.' "

Although those troubled days are long gone, one can assume that Barrino will have no qualms reprising the emotional role that was a source of inspiration for many people when it first aired in the 1990s.

Apart from Ciara, Bailey, and Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Colman Domingo, Danielle Brooks, Corey Hawkins, Louis Gossett Jr., and David Alan Grier will star in "The Color Purple," which is a joint production between Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey.

Production on the picture is set to begin this month in Georgia, as per EW. The screenplay for the film was written by Marcus Gardley, inspired by Alice Walker's 1982 novel, which shares the same name as the musical drama.

The new film adaptation, directed by Blitz Bazawule, will be released on December 20, 2023.