The
Color
Purple
arrives
in
theaters
Christmas
Day
and
we
had
the
privilege
and
honor
of
speaking
with
the
primary
cast.
Source:
Courtesy
/
Warner
Bros.
Pictures
Our
Sr.
Content
Director
Janeé
Bolden
asked
‘Young
Celie’
actress
Phylicia
Pearl
Mpasi
what
it’s
been
like
for
The
Color
Purple
to
be
her
debut
feature
film
role.
“I
was
so
nervous,
I
was
doe-eyed
and
didn’t
know
how
anything
worked
and
this
was
like
the
perfect
training
ground
to
set
me
off
for
the
rest
of
my
career,”
Mpasi
told
GlobalGrind.
“I
had
an
incredible
cast.
They’re
all
masters
at
their
craft.
Blitz
was
amazing
Oprah
was
amazing,
so
I
just
feel
so
prepared
to
keep
going!”
Source:
Courtesy
/
Warner
Bros.
Pictures
We
really
loved
watching
Phylicia’s
onscreen
sisterly
bond
with
Halle
Bailey,
and
couldn’t
help
but
notice
their
palpable
friendship
on
display
at
premiere
events
for
the
film.
Phylicia
credited
Halle
for
diving
right
in
and
showing
her
the
ropes
on
set.
“From
the
second
I
walked
into
the
room
for
our
chemistry
read,
she
was
like,
‘Do
you
have
any
questions
or
want
to
go
over
anything?
I
can
help
you.’”
Phylicia
recalled.
“And
I
was
like,
‘Please
let’s
go
over
the
scene,’
and
from
there,
it’s
so
interesting,
our
dynamic
off
set
was
the
same
dynamic
as
Celie
and
Nettie’s,
because
she
taught
me
so
much
about
what
it’s
like
to
be
on
a
set
—
how
to
find
camera
angles,
how
to
find
your
light.
We
just
really
connected
as
two
giddy
girls,
happy
to
be
working
together
but
also
as
like
actual
sisters
and
real
friends.
She’s
amazing
and
so
wonderful
and
so
kind.”
Source:
Michael
Buckner
/
Getty
We
also
had
to
ask
Phylicia
about
her
uncanny
resemblance
to
Fantasia
Barrino
Taylor
as
well
as
their
dynamic.
Phylicia
plays
the
younger
version
of
Celie
in
the
film,
while
Fantasia
tackles
Celie’s
scenes
as
an
adult.
“There
was
literally
a
scene
at
some
point
where
she’d
like
turned
her
face
a
certain
way
and
I
was
with
my
friend
at
the
premiere
like,
‘I
didn’t
film
that.
What
is
that?
She
was
like,
‘That’s
not
you.’
I
said,
‘Oh
my
God!’
It’s
the
only
time
I’ve
ever
been
like,
‘Whoa,
we
really
look
alike!’
She’s
just
been
so
empowering
and
she
said
the
other
day
she
wants
to
be
for
me
what
she
didn’t
have
in
this
industry.
And
I
feel
that
so
much.
At
every
turn,
she’s
a
phone
call,
a
text
away
and
she’s
even
like
caught
me
before
I
have
a
question.
She’s
like,
‘
I
can
see
it
in
your
eyes
you’re
nervous…
Let’s
take
a
beat,
let’s
talk.’
And
she
just
wants
to
empower
me
and
really
make
sure
that
I
feel
comfortable
to
take
up
space
and
that
I
belong.”
We
love
that
Fantasia
is
doing
that
for
her.
How
sweet
is
that?
Another
thing
we
love
about
this
version
of
The
Color
Purple is
the
tone
is
much
more
joyful.
Mpasi
revealed
that
director
Blitz
Bazawule
made
it
a
priority
that
her
character
would
emanate
the
optimism
Celie
has
during
her
younger
years.
“I
think
especially
with
my
character
it
was
really
important
for
me
and
Blitz
that
we
get
to
see
the
joy
and
the
love
and
the
fun
Celie
has
in
the
beginning
and
it
just
feels
even
more
gutting
when
she’s
taken
away
from
her
sister…
Everyone
on
set
had
their
own
connection
and
their
own
dream
for
this.
This
was
a
lot
of
people’s
dream
project,
so
all
we
did
was
take
our
love
and
respect
for
the
piece
and
just
put
it
into
it
and
I
think
that
really
shows.
The
joy
we
had
just
filming
it
off-set
together
like
really
shows
on
screen.”
Phylicia
also
did
an
incredible
impression
of
Oprah
Winfrey
as
she
spoke
about
meeting
the
executive
producer
on
set
for
the
first
time.
“When
I
first
met
her
she
was
like,
“Phylicia!
It’s
you!
I’ve
seen
your
face
in
the
dailies,
you’re
doing
so
great!’
It’s
like,
‘Thank
you
Ms.
Winfrey!’
I
was
like,
‘You’ve
kept
me
waiting.’
Like
my
whole
life
I
wanted
to
meet
her
and
just
to
meet
her
in
this
moment,
in
this
piece
was
so
fantastic.
She
just
was
like,
‘You
know,
you
were
our
choice,
you
are
here
for
a
reason.
Take
up
your
space
baby,
this
is
only
the
beginning.’
Now
I’m
just
waiting
for
my
invite
to
her
house!
The
Color
Purple
arrives
in
theaters
on
Christmas
Day,
Monday,
December
25.
