How 'The Color Purple' Rollout Became Dominated By Accusations Of Low Pay And Poor Conditions - Forbes

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The newest musical adaptation of “The Color Purple” has had its awards season campaign overshadowed by accusations from its stars about poor working conditions and low pay, notably from star Taraji P. Henson, who said she nearly walked away from the project.

Timeline

Dec. 5, 2023During an interview hosted by SAG-AFTRA, Henson drew attention—just weeks before the film’s release—by saying she nearly ditched “The Color Purple” because of low pay, complaining she hadn’t received a compensation increase since her role in the 2018 film “Proud Mary.”

Dec. 19, 2023Henson gave an emotional interview to Gayle King in which she said she is considering quitting acting because she was tired of getting paid “a fraction of the cost” she felt she deserved despite being a Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee, sparking an outpouring of support from fellow Black actors—and widespread speculation she was criticizing “The Color Purple” producers.

Dec. 21, 2023Henson praised Oprah Winfrey, a producer on the film, as a “beacon of light” in an Instagram post amid social media speculation that Winfrey had a hand in Henson’s salary, shortly after a video circulated depicting a seemingly awkward interaction between the two during a press tour for the film.

Dec. 25, 2023“The Color Purple” released in U.S. theaters, surpassing expectations by grossing $18 million on its first day, the second-biggest Christmas Day opening of all time, but it has since struggled at the box office.

Jan. 5, 2024Henson told The New York Times she fought for the film’s cast to be provided transportation to set after initially being offered rental cars, stating driving herself to set would be “dangerous” and an “insurance liability.”

Jan. 5, 2024Henson also told the Times she was forced to audition for the role despite being director Blitz Bazawule’s first choice, adding she “went in there with a chip on my shoulder” because she had not auditioned in a long time.

Jan. 6, 2024Actress Danielle Brooks told The Hollywood Reporter cast members of “The Color Purple” were not initially provided food or their own dressing rooms, an issue she said Winfrey helped fix after the cast reached out to her.

Jan. 7, 2024Winfrey denied rumors she had been unsupportive of Henson, and told Entertainment Tonight she did what she could when the cast approached her with issues, but clarified she was not in charge of the budget and salaries were negotiated by each actor’s team.

Key Background

Allegations of low pay and poor working conditions have dominated the press run for “The Color Purple,” which has been met with a mostly muted response at awards ceremonies and the box office. The film missed a nomination for Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy at the Golden Globes, which was deemed a snub by some. Fantasia Barrino and Brooks both secured Globe nods for their performances, the only nominations for the film, though neither won their respective categories. After its strong Christmas box office opening, “The Color Purple” ranked fourth at the domestic box office in its first full weekend from Dec. 29 to Dec. 31, with $11.7 million in gross ticket sales. It fell to seventh in this past weekend’s box office ranking with just $4.7 million. The film, which has grossed $54.6 million to date, reportedly cost $90 million to produce and an additional $40 million to market.

Tangent

Black actors have praised “The Color Purple” actors for speaking out against unfavorable pay and working conditions. After Henson’s interview discussing her experiences with low pay, actress Gabrielle Union posted on X: “Not a damn lie told.” Keke Palmer also shared her own experience of needing to take on multiple jobs to survive because of how expensive working in entertainment can be. Octavia Spencer posted a clip of Henson’s interview with King on Instagram, praising her for “vocalizing our plight.”

Crucial Quote

“A lot of the stuff on that set, they got because I fought,” Henson told The New York Times. “It wears on your soul because you fight so hard to establish a name for yourself and be respected in this town to no avail. With Black films, they just don’t want to take us overseas and I don’t understand that. Black translates all over the world, so why wouldn’t the movies?”

Contra

Despite the lackluster box office performance and award show snubs, “The Color Purple” has been met with strong reviews. The film scored an 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with Variety critic Peter Debruge stating the film feels “even more monumental” than Steven Spielberg’s 1985 adaptation of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer-winning “The Color Purple” novel.

What To Watch For

Can “The Color Purple” improve its awards haul in the coming months? The film has five nominations at the upcoming Critics’ Choice Awards, including Best Picture and acting nods for Barrino and Brooks. Nominations for the Academy Awards will be announced on Jan. 23. The Los Angeles Times and Variety both project “The Color Purple” will land just one Oscar nod—Best Supporting Actress for Brooks.