Ciara is slated to join the star-studded cast of the musical film version of The Color Purple, Entertainment Weekly reports.
Produced by Oprah Winfrey under her Harpo Films umbrella and directed by Blitz Bazawule, Ciara will portray the adult version of Nettie, based on Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1982 novel.
"Honored to be a part of this beautiful ensemble and historic film, The Color Purple," Ciara tweeted following the announcement. "Truly grateful."
The production, which is set to begin this month in Georgia, also stars Fantasia Barrino as Celie, Danielle Brooks as Sofia, Taraji P. Henson as Shug Avery, Colman Domingo as Mister, Corey Hawkins as Harpo, H.E.R. as Squeak, Halle Bailey as the younger version of Nettie, Louis Gossett Jr. as Ol' Mister, and David Alan Grier as Reverend Avery.
Steven Spielberg, who directed the original film, is a producer, along with Quincy Jones and Scott Sanders both of whom produced the Broadway musical. Alice Walker, her daughter Rebecca Walker, Kristie Macosko Krieger, Carla Gardini and Mara Jacobs are all executive producers.
The screenplay is being penned by Marcus Gardley, which was adapted from Marsha Norman’s book and Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray’s score
The Color Purple is set to be released on December 20, 2023.
