Fantasia Didn’t Want Stunt Double For ‘The Color Purple’ Abuse Scenes

Fantasia Barrino opened up about the introspective process that came along with readying the anticipated The Color Purple musical. The 39-year-old is set to star in the film as Celie, a reprisal of her Broadway role and one she previously stated she would never do again.

“I carried her every day, all day, and I didn’t like that feeling,” shared the actress with Variety‘s Angelique Jackson in her Power of Women cover story. She continued to explain how director Blitz Bazawule got her to change her mind by detailing his creative interpretation during an intimate visit at Barrino’s North Carolina home.

“You get to see how she made it through some of this stuff,” explained Barrino of the character in the 2023 take on the classic literary tale.

She continued to discuss how returning to Celie allowed her to process moments from her past, including encounters with domestic violence. While filming The Color Purple musical, the “Free Yourself” singer advocated for not using a stunt double in scenes where her on-screen abusive husband Mister, played by Colman Domingo, turns physical, despite Domingo’s pushback.

“I could let go of every man that’s ever put his hands on me. I freed myself from that.”

Elsewhere in the interview, the Grammy Award-winning talent continued to discuss how her outlook has changed on her character through the latest edition of The Color Purple.

“I realized Celie was not ugly,” she explained. “Celie was not crazy. Celie was not illiterate. Nothing about her was dumb. She was the piece to the whole puzzle that kept everybody together,” continuing to detail “I’m grateful that I did not allow those voices in my head to hold me back from stepping into this woman’s shoes.”

The Color Purple musical is due in theaters on Christmas Day. The full cast includes Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery, Danielle Brooks as Sophia, and Halle Bailey as young Nettie. Additionally, the project features Aunjanue Ellis, Ciara, Jon Batiste, Deon Cole, Louis Gossett Jr., Tamela Mann, David Alan Grier, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi, H.E.R., and Stephen Hill.

Watch the trailer for The Color Purple below.

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