Fantasia Gets Emotional Over First Big Movie Role in ‘The Color Purple’

Oprah and Steven Spielberg are bringing us an epic, star-studded new version of “The Color Purple” that has Oscar written all over it!

Fantasia Barrino delivers a show-stopping performance as Celie, alongside a cast that includes Halle Bailey, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, H.E.R. and Ciara.

Fantasia, who first played the role on Broadway, opened up about initially turning the movie down and how this time around is different.

At the London premiere, she admitted, “I did Celie in 2007 on Broadway and I hated it. I was so young and I was still going through so much. I’m glad that this time around, I said, ‘Yes’ because at first I said no.”

Fantasia noted that her character Celie and her are “a lot alike.” She admitted, “She and I went through some of the same things.”

“This time when I played Celie, she taught me so much,” Fantasia went on. “She was the biggest piece of forgiveness, and that’s why I want to carry, Celie with me, and make her proud.”

Thanks to her role as Celie, Fantasia was celebrated at Variety’s Power of Women event at Citizen News in L.A.

Fantasia got emotional seeing “Extra’s” Terri Seymour on the carpet, saying, “This takes me back… wow, to ‘Idol.’”