Celie’s confidence and self-awareness grow in the presence of Shug Avery (Taraji P. Henson). Celie becomes more comfortable expressing herself and forms a strong bond with Shug, even while still facing hardships at home. Bazawule aimed to depict a balance between joy and pain, emphasizing that Black people do not just endure pain but also transform it into power, as seen in their music and art. This approach provided a fuller picture of Celie’s struggles and the escape she found in her fantasies. Barrino-Taylor, although known for slower music, embraced the challenge of learning to tap dance for the role, practicing relentlessly to embody Celie’s joy through dance. Despite the difficulty of the process, she was determined to fully embody Celie on screen.
Fantasia Barrino-Taylor Discusses Her Emotional Role in ‘The Color Purple’
