Danielle Brooks and Fantasia Barrino Get Emotional Sharing How Faith Guided Their ‘Color Purple’ Performances | Video

In a viral clip from “The Color Purple” press tour, stars Fantasia Barrino and Danielle Brooks became deeply emotional discussing their journey making the film musical, as well as their larger personal journeys, including how their spirituality has guided them.

British interviewer Joy told the women that God’s presence is felt throughout the film and mentioned an interview where Barrino said that in one of the last takes in “The Color Purple,” she prayed for her voice not to go out. Joy then asked how the presence of God has been with both of them throughout the journey of this project.

Brooks responded with an empathic “Girllll, girl…” highlighting how important spirituality has been to their work. Joy then added that she’s struggled with her spiritual faith, due to pain.

“I’ve kind of been like, I can’t do this anymore, like…” Joy added.

“Those are the moments where you have to trust God the most,” Barrino said. “These moments are necessary, ’cause sometimes we can get ahead of God, or we try to be God in everybody’s lives. And sometimes he says, ‘OK, now you’re doing my job. Why are you not trusting me?'”

At this point, Joy was in tears.

“There is something that I heard someone say: that when God has promised you something, do not rush the fulfillment of that promise,” Brooks added. “And sometimes that’s what we do: we rush the fulfillment. We want it so bad. We know what God has promised us, and told us in our hearts, and we know it to be so. But you’ve got to not rush it. Because how horrible would it be for you to receive that thing, and you not be ready?”

Barrino reacted with a deep “Mmmm,” patting Brooks on the leg.

“So stay the course,” Brooks said, “one foot in front of the other, and soon before you know it, life will turn around for your good.”

“I’m going to tell you something, and I want you to Google it when you walk out, please,” Barrino asked Joy. She then referenced a 2008 video that features Bishop George Bloomer directly addressing Barrino during a service as she sat in the crowd, offering her advice on how to deal with attacks and “storms” that come into your life.

Joy responded by stating that she’d read about this interview and that it broke her heart, asking Barrino why people must go through pain.

“Because we have to go through certain things,” Barrino replied.

“Because you wouldn’t be able to appreciate it,” Brooks added in.

“You sure wouldn’t,” Barrino added.

“You know how many ‘noes’ we’ve heard in our life?” Brooks asked. Barrino patted her own leg in recognition of the truth of her question. “There’s so many testimonies we could share with you, that might come in a book later down the road,” Brooks continued, to chuckles from the room, though she quickly interjected, “I ain’t writing one.”

“We’ve got too many,” Barrino added, which Brooks agreed with.

Brooks added, “If we heard every yes that we wanted, we would not appreciate this moment. If you only knew some of the s–t I went through at the top of this year [2023] as an actor–“

At that point, Brooks’ voice cracked and she worked to push through as she began to cry.

“– where I, for the first time in my career, I wanted to quit,” Brooks continued. “I’ve never felt that way, but I had to go through that to get to this moment. So I can be more appreciative. So that I could know my worth, not want it in somebody else. So I’m telling you, you’ve got to go the course. There is a reason for your pain.”

Barrino agreed.

“There’s a reason that she went through everything that she went through,” Brooks said. “Because now, her testimony is serving milllions of people. Millions of people. So sometimes, unfortunately, we have to sacrifice and have some s–t go down for the greater good.”

Barrino jumped in, adding, “Yes. Without a test, you dont have a testimony. Look at everybody in the Bible, and I’m going to leave you alone — look at everybody who was tested, all the greats.”

She went on to discuss the biblical stories of Abraham and Isaac, as well as stating that Job is her favorite book in the Bible, adding that she named her daughter Keziah because that was Job’s daughter’s name.

“I lost everything twice, but I never gave up on God, because I knew he had me,” Barrino concluded. “So don’t you give up your faith.”

She circled back to her character in “The Color Purple,” telling Joy, “Be like Celie. She would talk, ‘Dear God, what is going on, what’s good?’ Be like David.”

Brooks jumped in with a laugh and agreed with Barrino referencing the Bible’s King David.

“David would talk to God like we talk to each other — ‘What’s up, God? I need you to show up and show out,'” Barrino explained.

“And if you need anything, go on and say ‘Hell, no’ to your fear, to losing your faith,” Brooks said.

The stars hugged Joy as the interview concluded.

You can watch this section of the interview in the video at the top of this story. You can also see more of Joy’s interview with the U.K.’s Magic Radio from earlier in her taping with the stars below:

The post Danielle Brooks and Fantasia Barrino Get Emotional Sharing How Faith Guided Their ‘Color Purple’ Performances | Video appeared first on TheWrap.