Source: Rich Polk/Golden Globes 2024 / Getty / Oprah Winfrey
Aht aht aht. Oprah Winfrey said you will not blame her for the production woes surrounding The Color Purple movie and is over the fact people are bringing up her name in the conversation.
Spotted on Deadline, Oprah Winfrey had time to address those pesky rumors about her after Taraji P. Henson mentioned some production woes while filming the 2023 version of Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book.
Speaking with Entertainment Tonight on the Golden Globes red carpet, Winfrey came with receipts after she was asked about Henson talking about the challenges she faced in Hollywood, like pay disparity and other issues like not having a personal drive to take her to and from The Color Purple set and other issues.
Winfrey, along with other big names like Stephen Spielberg, who directed the original film, and Quincy Jones, all serve as executive producers on Blitz Bazawule’s film that takes its cues from the Broadway musical, finally had something to say after trending on social media.
Per Deadline:
“I heard I was trending yesterday. People were saying I was not supporting Taraji,” Winfrey said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight at the Golden Globes. “Taraji will tell you herself that I’ve been the greatest champion of this film, championing not only the behind-the-scenes production but also everything that everybody needed.”
She continued, “Whenever I heard that there was something that people needed — I’m not in charge of the budget because that’s Warner Bros., that’s the way the studio system works and we as producers, everybody gets their salary that’s negotiated by your team.”
Winfrey reiterated that whenever she “heard there was a problem with the cars” or “with the food” she would “step in and do whatever I could to make it right,” noting that Henson “would vouch for that and say that it’s true.”
Winfrey also addressed the rumors of tension between herself and the Empire star after TikTok body language experts dissected a video of the cast and Winfrey at the Empire State Building.
“There’s no validity to their being a thing between Taraji and I,” Winfrey said.
Despite Oprah and other cast members Fantasia and Danelle Brooks clearing things up, people still have opinions.
You can see those reactions in the gallery below.
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Photo: Rich Polk/Golden Globes 2024 / Getty
