Taraji Has Something to Tell Us About All That Negative ‘The Color Purple’ Gossip

“The Color Purple” star Taraji P. Henson has had enough of the rumors about a feud between her and Oprah, and she’s finally speaking out about them and telling people that they should focus more on the film’s message.

For context, during “The Color Purple” press run, Henson made comments about struggling to be paid her worth as a leading Black actor in Hollywood and the working conditions surrounding the blockbuster musical film—which is produced by Oprah. Her comments went viral—this video interaction with Oprah did, too—and internet detectives began to suspect that she had beef with Lady O.

Yet in a new interview with Hoda Kotb for the “Today Show” on Wednesday, the “Hidden Figures” star said that she hopes everyone can focus back on the film.

“Because right now, to me, it feels like what I said is now becoming louder than this beautiful film,” Henson said. “And that’s not fair to me, or anybody in the film because the film deals with women who are oppressed — who live in an oppressed system. Men and women. And all the characters in that film except for the white people. So that movie is about healing. That movie is about sisterhood.”

As previously reported by The Root, we examined whether or not Henson’s comments, the internet’s responses to them, and the make-believe beef with Oprah would have an affect on how the film was received by voting bodies during the 2023-24 awards season. Whether or not that’s the case, what has become apparent to the team behind “The Color Purple” is that her commentary might have made some folks hesitant about seeing the film.

“The Color Purple,” indeed, is about sisterhood. Women overcome fiercely oppressive forces, people and situations in the film. And in a way, life is imitating art for the actors involved. But as Henson said, here’s hoping the conversation can get back to where it belongs.