Los Angeles, Feb 4 (IANS): Fantasia Taylor and Danielle Brooks will reprise their roles as Celie and Sofia in the musical 'The Color Purple'.
Taylor made her foray in Broadway as Celie in 2007 after her 'American Idol' win, Brooks was nominated for the Tony Awards for her portrayal of Sofia in the 2015 revival of the Broadway musical, reports 'Variety'.
The casting announcement, according to 'Variety', was a part of 'Soul of a Nation Presents: Screen Queens Rising', which is an ABC News special.
Brooks had an emotional moment when Oprah Winfrey revealed that Brooks was chosen for the role during a Zoom call. Oprah is producing 'The Color Purple' under her Harpo Films banner.
The upcoming Warner Bros. movie is an adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical, which was based on Alice Walker's 1982 epistolary novel of the same name. The novel had won for its author a Pulitzer Prize. The production will be directed by Bazawule and Marcus Gardley has written the screenplay, based on Walker's novel, the 1985 film and the stage musical.
In addition, Steven Spielberg will co-produce the film for his Amblin Entertainment. Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones, both of whom produced the Broadway musical, are also producers.
Alice Walker, Rebecca Walker, Mara Jacobs, Carla Gardini, Kristie Macosko Krieger and Adam Fell will serve as executive producers on the project.