Taraji P. Henson will star in the latest film adaption of Blitz Bazawule’s The Color Purple. According to Variety, the Oscar and Emmy-nominated actress will play Shug Avery. The forthcoming film under the Warner Bros. banner is an adaption of the Tony-winning Broadway musical, which is also an adaption of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. In the 1985 film version of Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple, Margaret Avery played Shug Avery, the jazz and blues singer who is Mister’s mistress before becoming Celie’s close companion.

Taraji P. Henson will join actor Corey Hawkins (In The Heights, The Tragedy of Macbeth) and Oscar and Grammy-winning artist H.E.R. in the film. Hawkins will play the role of Harpo and H.E.R. will play Squeak. Most recently, Henson showed off her singing talents when she starred as Miss. Hannigan in NBC’s Annie Live! where she was nominated for Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Limited Series or Dramatic Special for the 2022 NAACP Image Awards. The Color Purple, which follows Black is King, a film he co-directed with Beyoncé, is set to be released on December 20, 2023.