Checking in with Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, and more stars from the 1985 classic, 40 years later.

The Color Purple cast: Where are they now?

Checking in with Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, and more stars from the 1985 classic, 40 years later.

By Diedre Johnson, James Mercadante, and Kevin Jacobsen

December 18, 2025 9:30 a.m. ET

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Margaret Avery as Shug Avery, Whoopi Goldberg as Celie Johnson, and Rae Dawn Chong as Squeak in 'The Color Purple'. Credit:

Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty

Ever since the release of Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel in 1982, *The Color Purple* has resonated with readers on a profound level. Steven Spielberg's 1985 movie adaptation further opened up the story, with Whoopi Goldberg starring as Celie, an abuse survivor living in the Deep South in the early 20th century who comes into her own as she ultimately learns to stand up for herself.

Surrounding Goldberg's soul-baring performance was a bevy of explosive talent, including Oprah Winfrey in her film debut as the boisterous Sofia, Margaret Avery as the alluring blues singer Shug, and Danny Glover as the menacing man known as "Mister." Each has gone on to further success in the industry, but *The Color Purple* will remain a gem in their careers for the rest of their lives.

Ahead, we check in with where the cast of *The Color Purple* is now, 40 years after the film's release.

Whoopi Goldberg (Celie Johnson)

Whoopi Goldberg as Celie Johnson in ‘The Color Purple’; Whoopi Goldberg attends the premiere of ‘Till’ during the 60th New York Film Festival at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, on Oct. 1, 2022, in New York City. Warner Brothers/Getty; Jamie McCarthy/Getty

When it comes to professional accomplishments, Whoopi Goldberg could give her hugely successful castmate Oprah Winfrey a run for her money. Not only is Goldberg an EGOT winner (she has an Oscar, Grammy, Emmy, and Tony to her name...two Emmys, actually), but Goldberg makes headlines almost daily thanks to the fact that she's not afraid to speak her mind as one of the outspoken hosts of the long-running daytime talk show *The View*.

Goldberg — who was a stand-up comedian when she was cast in *The Color Purple* — did not win her Oscar for playing the resilient protagonist Celie, but for her role as the wise-cracking psychic Oda Mae Brown in the 1990 film *Ghost*. Her popularity only grew from there, as she starred in films such as *Jumpin' Jack Flash *(1986) and *Sister Act* (1992) and its 1993 sequel, reportedly for major coin.

Then came a return to her live audience roots, but this time as an actress on Broadway, with Goldberg appearing in revivals of *A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum* and *Ma Rainey's Black Bottom* and producing the classic musical *Thoroughly Modern Millie*, the latter of which earned her a Tony. She’s also got dozens upon dozens of credits for television, be it as an actor (playing Guinan on *Star Trek: The Next Generation*, for example), appearing as herself in a series, or hosting (including four turns as the Oscars’ emcee).

These days, the comic–turned–actress–turned–talk show host spends most of her time at her home in New Jersey, doting on her grandchildren and great-grandchildren (yes, her only daughter is now a grandmother!). She also made a cameo in the 2023 musical film adaptation of *The Color Purple*.

Danny Glover (Albert “Mister” Johnson)

Danny Glover as Albert ‘Mister’ Johnson in ‘The Color Purple’; Danny Glover attends the opening ceremony during the 61st Monte Carlo TV Festival on June 17, 2022, in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. Warner Brothers/Getty; Stephane Cardinale/Corbis/Getty

As Celie's abusive husband, "Mister" deservedly didn't meet a favorable end in *The Color Purple*. But Danny Glover, the actor who portrays him, would thankfully move on to a more favorable future. Glover's career got a real shot in the arm in the late '80s and '90s thanks to the *Lethal Weapon* movies, playing Mel Gibson's partner in the hit buddy cop franchise.

After appearing in a multitude of popular films such as *Predator 2* (1990), *The Royal Tenenbaums* (2001), *Saw* (2004), and *Dreamgirls *(2006), Glover eventually turned to smaller movies, TV series, and documentaries. He also got more heavily involved with civil rights activism, humanitarian aid, and political causes domestically and abroad, devoting time to protests, founding theaters, and joining committees.

For his valiant efforts, the actor was the 2022 recipient of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, along with many other artistic and charitable accolades through the years. Glover did take time from more serious doings to appear in the stellar, surreal comedy *Sorry to Bother You* (2018), the affecting drama *The Last Black Man in San Francisco* (2019), and the Christmas caper *The Naughty Nine* (2023), playing Santa Claus in the latter.

Glover was married to Asake Bomani — with whom he has a daughter — from 1975 to 2000, and Eliane Cavalleiro from 2009 to 2022.

Oprah Winfrey (Sofia)

Oprah Winfrey as Sofia in 'The Color Purple'; Oprah Winfrey attends the Ralph Lauren show during September 2025 New York Fashion Week on Sept. 10, 2025, in New York City.

Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty; Jamie McCarthy/Getty

When *The Color Purple *debuted in 1985, Oprah Winfrey was on the cusp of transitioning from a regional powerhouse to a national mega-success, with her syndicated TV show taking the country by storm in September of the following year. But before she became the all-powerful Oprah, she got attention for her performance as the steely but tragic Sofia — her first-ever movie role that also garnered her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination right out of the box.

Soon after, Winfrey was well on her way to becoming one of the most influential TV talk show hosts of all time (and maybe the first TV influencer). Adoring fans of her popular program listened to almost anything she said or did. Everything she endorsed succeeded. In addition to more acting jobs and her smash-hit show, she launched a branded, glossy monthly magazine called *O, the Oprah Magazine* (featuring a fashionable Winfrey on the cover each month), which was published from 2000 to 2020 (and has since transitioned to digital).

Although her talk show ceremoniously ended in 2011, Winfrey has managed to reign supreme over the years; interviewing major players in a series of specials; acting in films like *Lee Daniels' The Butler* (2013) and *Selma* (2014); producing and writing projects through her production company, Harpo (named after her character's husband in *The Color Purple, *which also happens to be her name spelled backward); creating the Oprah Winfrey Network (a.k.a. OWN); and even serving as a WW (the company formerly known as Weight Watchers) spokesperson. Let's just say, she's managed to conquer broadcast and print journalism, marketing, *and* acting.

Winfrey has been with her partner, Stedman Graham, since 1986.

Margaret Avery (Shug Avery)

Margaret Avery as Shug Avery in ‘The Color Purple’; Margaret Avery attends the 28th Annual NAACP Theatre Awards at Millennium Biltmore Hotel on June 17, 2019, in Los Angeles. Warner Brothers/Getty; Amy Sussman/Getty

No one blinks an eye today at the kind of vivacious, confident woman Margaret Avery portrayed in *The Color Purple*. In a film full of sadly downtrodden Black women characters, Shug stands out thanks to Avery's spirited portrayal of the sultry blues singer. Though seemingly self-centered and superficial, Shug is ultimately the one to help Celie come out of her shell and realize her own self-worth.

In retrospect, there should have been many more roles for Avery following the film's success. Though she received a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination, Avery didn't work for *two years* after *The Color Purple'*s release. Fortunately, she still acts today. In the decades that followed, Avery has racked up quite a list of smaller roles in TV and movies, including Tyler Perry's *Meet the Browns* (2008), the BET series *Being Mary Jane*, Netflix's *A Man on the Inside*, and guest roles on *Grey's Anatomy*, *Better Things*, and *The Neighborhood*.

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Willard E. Pugh (Harpo Johnson)

Willard E. Pugh as Harpo Johnson in ‘The Color Purple’; Willard E. Pugh attends the 70's at 70 Birthday Concert at Catalina Jazz Club on Nov. 22, 2022, in Los Angeles.

Warner Brothers/Getty Images; Elyse Jankowski/Getty Images

After portraying Harpo — Mister's son and Sofia's husband, who fails at trying to tame his feisty, headstrong wife — Willard E. Pugh had a steady stream of roles on TV and in movies such as *227*, *NYPD Blue*, and *Air Force One* (1997), as well as a memorable turn as mayor Marvin Kuzak in *RoboCop 2* (1990). In the early-'90s, he also taught broadcasting and film classes at Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.

While his IMDb page lists his most recent movie credit as *Lucky Louie* in 2023, Pugh had a long-time non-SAG hustle. When not pursuing acting roles, he worked as a probation officer since the early '90s and has since retired.

Laurence Fishburne (Swain)

Laurence Fishburne as Swain in ‘The Color Purple’; Laurence Fishburne attends the world premiere of Netflix's ‘The School for Good and Evil’ at Regency Village Theatre on Oct. 18, 2022, in Los Angeles. Warner Bros.; Charley Gallay/Getty

Laurence Fishburne started out his career appearing in plays and on the popular daytime soap opera *One Life to Live* as a child actor. In his teens, he scored the part of the young soldier "Mr. Clean" in Francis Ford Coppola's 1979 esteemed war film *Apocalypse Now*. He also had roles in minor films such as *Death Wish II* (1982) and in big-budget projects like *The Cotton Club *(1984). So he wasn't a novice when he took on the role of Swain — Harpo's musician friend who helps him build the juke joint — in *The Color Purple*. Though it was a smaller part, it was a solid addition to his impressive résumé, which has continued to grow over the years.

Fishburne flexed his acting chops in blockbusters like 1991's *Boyz N the Hood*, was the first Black actor to play Shakespeare's Othello on film, and earned an Oscar nomination (for his portrayal of Ike Turner in 1993's *What's Love Got to Do With It*), but it was his role as hacker Morpheus in the *Matrix* movies that really put him on the map with moviegoers.

Throw in his performance as Bowery King in the *John Wick* franchise, as well as standout roles in several superhero films (for both Marvel and DC), and you've got the epitome of a diverse career. Still, the chameleon actor returned to his TV roots to executive produce and star on *Black-ish*, *Mixed-ish*, and *Grown-ish* as Pops, and came back to Broadway as Donny in the 2022 revival of David Mamet’s *American Buffalo*.

Fishburne was married to actor Gina Torres from 2002 to 2018. He has three children.

Rae Dawn Chong (Squeak)

Rae Dawn Chong as Squeak in ‘The Color Purple’; Rae Dawn Chong attends the 37th Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival Opening Night at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on Nov. 4, 2022, in Hollywood, Fla. Warner Brothers/Getty; Desiree Navarro/Getty

For a time in the 1980s, actress Rae Dawn Chong was an It Girl of the silver screen. The daughter of comic actor Tommy Chong (yes, of Cheech and Chong fame) starred in a bunch of youthful rom-coms, genre flicks, and action movies (1984's *Choose Me*, 1985's *American Flyers, *1985's *Commando*, and 1986's *Soul Man*, anyone?). All these highlights led up to and after her turn in *The Color Purple* as "Squeak," a.k.a. Mary Agnes, a meek young woman who finds her voice and comes into her own over the course of the inspiring film.

Like Fishburne, whether by choice or by necessity, her roles were inconsistent, (even by acting standards) from leads in experimental arthouse movies to smaller parts in mainstream populist fare. The same year that *Purple* was released, Chong appeared as the sexy love interest in Mick Jagger's "Just Another Night" music video.

She would later meet her second husband, C. Thomas Howell, while filming *Soul Man*, and has continued to work steadily in movies and television since, with recent runs in *Impeachment: American Crime Story* and on AMC's *Interview With the Vampire*.

Akosua Busia (Nettie Harris)

Akousa Busia as Nettie Harris in ‘The Color Purple’; Akousa Busia on the red carpet of the 70th annual Tony Awards on June 12, 2016, in New York City. Warner Brothers/Getty; Jim Spellman/WireImage

Who can forget Nettie running alongside the train in *The Color Purple*? It's an emotionally riveting scene, putting Celie's younger, headstrong, and wildly smart sister (portrayed by Akosua Busia) at center stage. Busia, whose father was once the prime minister of Ghana, had already had several small parts on TV shows like *Knight Rider* and *The Fall Guy* when she landed her breakthrough role as Nettie.

After *The Color Purple*, Busia continued to pop up in films, including 1986's *Native Son* (alongside Oprah Winfrey once again) and 1997's *Rosewood*, directed by John Singleton. Singleton and Busia married in 1996 and became parents to daughter Hadar before divorcing the following year. Busia wouldn't do another movie until the 2003 war drama *Tears of the Sun*, with the actress reportedly taking time off to raise her only child.

In the ensuing years, Busia stepped away from the limelight to focus on writing. She penned *The Seasons of Beento Blackbird: A Novel*; co-wrote the screenplay for the 1998 movie *Beloved* (also starring Winfrey and adapted from the book by Toni Morrison); and co-wrote the song "Moon Blue" on Stevie Wonder's 2005 album, *A Time 2 Love. *She also directed a documentary about her late father's life.

In 2016, Busia returned to acting, appearing in both the Off Broadway and Broadway productions of Danai Gurira's play *Eclipsed* with Lupita Nyong'o, for which Busia received an Obie Award. She later directed and starred in the 2024 feature *In Search of a Blessed Life*.

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Source: “EW Where”