Whoopi Goldberg’s Cameo in ‘The Color Purple’ Is A Sweet Homage To The 1985 Original

Are our eyes deceiving us? Within the first few minutes of the 2023 musical movie adaptation of The Color Purple, a famed actor from Steven Spielberg’s 1985 flick makes an appearance. No, it’s not Oprah Winfrey, though she played a large role behind the scenes as a producer. But, we’re actually talking about Whoopi Goldberg, whose surprise cameo is a symbolic homage to her former role.

In the new movie, young Celie (Phylicia Pearl Mpasi) gives birth to a baby with the help of a midwife. Goldberg, who portrayed the adult version of Celie in the 1985 movie, steps in as the health professional and assists with bringing new life into the world.

During the birthing scene, the midwife shares supportive words with Celie, telling her, “You’re doing just fine.”

The traumatic birth spins a heartbreaking storyline that involves Celie having her two children taken away from her due to them being a result of rape, and being married off to an abusive man who separates her from her sister.

Goldberg’s cameo pays homage to the original movie, which landed the actor her first major movie role and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, screenwriter Marcus Gardley reflected on Goldberg’s surprise appearance, saying, “We struggled with figuring out where it could happen and what character she would be, because the Spielberg film looms so large in our culture.” He expressed wanting to stay away from anything too cliche, such as casting her as Celie’s mother.

Gardley said the role they decided on was a “symbolic” choice. “… she’s the one to not only encourage her during the birth, but it’s like she herself gave birth to the role and now we see her passing it down,” he explained. “It’s one of the most beautiful scenes because you see [Goldberg] looking upon [Mpasi] with pride and telling her, ‘You can do it.'”

In addition to Goldberg’s small role being important to the movie, the actor also livened up the set. “I just remember how caring and loving she was to Phylicia,” shared director Blitz Bazawule in the same interview.

The latest Color Purple movie is based on the stage musical of the same name, which was inspired by Alice Walker’s infamous 1982 novel. Returning from the original movie, Spielberg produced the remake, along with Winfrey, who also produced the theater production. The movie tells the story of Celie, a poor African American woman living in rural Georgia in the early 1990s. Fantasia Barrino leads the predominately Black cast, alongside Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, H.E.R., and Halle Bailey.

The Color Purple premiered in the United States on December 25, 2023, and grossed $18 million dollars from 3,152 theaters on its opening day, making it the second-biggest Christmas Day opening of all time, according to Variety. Barrino and Brooks have been nominated for Golden Globe Awards for their performances.

While Goldberg can’t be given all the credit for the movie’s wide success, she surely added to the heart of the overall production and had people buzzing inside the theaters, and out.

The Color Purple is currently playing in theaters.