Who Played Me in "The Color Purple"? Quiz

Answer: Danny Glover

Glover, born on July 22nd, 1946 in San Francisco, California was cast as Albert. Albert was a widower and Celie's father forced her to marry him. Celie and Albert got married but their union was not a happy one by any means. Albert abused Celie on multiple occasions.

In one particular scene, Albert followed Celie's sister, Nettie, to school one day and attempted to attack her but she fought back against him. Midway through the movie, Celie stood up to her husband and a friend of hers, Shug, told Albert that Celie would be coming to live with her. Albert attempted to keep Celie at their home but was not met with success in this regard. Celie informed him that he had to do the right thing or else he would always commit to bad things in his life. Glover starred in the films, "Saw", "Lethal Weapon" and "Angels in the Outfield".

Answer: Akosua Busia

Busia, a native of Ghana, portrayed Nettie Harris. Nettie was Celie's sister and the two had a fond relationship with each other throughout the film. In one scene, Albert Johnson came by her home and spoke to her father about wanting to marry Nettie but her father said Nettie was too young. Later on in the film, Nettie spent some time living at Celie's and helped her sister increase her literacy skills.

While at the home, Nettie became disgusted with Albert, when he misbehaved around her and she refused to tolerate his behavior.

This led to Albert kicking Nettie out of the home. Nettie spent much time in Africa during the movie doing some missionary work there. Busia guest starred on the TV series "ER", "Key West" and "A Different World".

Answer: Leonard Jackson

Jackson, born in 1928 in Jacksonville, Florida played Pa Harris. Mr. Harris was father to Celie and Nettie Harris and he impregnated Celie when she was fourteen years of age. Mr. Harris sold her baby and said she was not to mention what happened to her mother or else it would kill her mom. Mr. Harris was approached by Albert Johnson one day about his desire to get married. Mr. Harris refused to allow him to marry Nettie due to her being a young girl but then mentioned he could get married to Celie, as she was older and it was only natural she get married first. Mr. Harris informed Albert that Celie was spoiled, not attractive, worked hard and she possessed the ability to learn.

He also stated to Albert that God fixed Celie. In continuing to talk about Celie, Mr. Harris told Albert he could do what he liked to her As Albert had not seen Celie, he asked Mr. Harris if he could see her so he called for his daughter to come outside so Mr. Harris could have a look at her.

At the end of the movie, Mr. Harris died and Celie attended his funeral. Jackson had roles in the movies, "Conspiracy Theory", "Boomerang" and "Car Wash".

Answer: Howard Starr

Starr landed the role of a young Harpo Johnson. Harpo was Albert's son and was first seen talking to his father when his father asked him if he had cleaned his saddle. Harpo informed him that he did indeed clean it but Albert told him that he did an inadequate job of it, since there was mold on the side. Albert also said there was dirt on the saddle and that the saddle did not appear to be clean. Harpo said to his father that he had a tough time removing the saddle from one of the mules and that is why it did not look as clean as it could have been. Albert instructed Harpo to go back outside and do a more pristine job of cleaning off the saddle. Starr's first acting credit was as a young Harpo Johnson in "The Color Purple".

His co-star in the film, Oprah Winfrey, created a company called Harpo Productions, Inc. and her character in the film, Sofia, married Harpo Johnson when he was older.

Answer: Desreta Jackson

Jackson was cast in the role of a young Celie Johnson. Celie was seen early on in the movie giving birth to her baby, who she named Olivia, and was saddened when her father took her from her to be sold to someone else. In a subsequent scene, Celie went to a store and noticed a woman with a baby who she believed to be Olivia.

She asked the woman what the baby's name was and the woman said her legal name was Pauline but she liked to call her Olivia. When Celie asked her why she called her Olivia, the woman simply said she looked like a baby who would have that name. Celie was seen bawling her eyes out when Nettie left her home, after Albert kicked her out. Shortly after this, Albert asked Celie to shave his beard since his ex-lover, Shug, would be coming to pay him a visit and he wanted to look good. Celie shaved his beard and it was midway through this she saw the mailman come and she wondered if Nettie wrote to her. Celie nearly cut through Albert's skin while shaving his beard. Jackson had a guest starring stint on the TV show, "Mancuso, FBI".

She was also in the films, "Sister Act" and "Mighty Pawns", the latter film being made for TV.

Answer: Whoopi Goldberg

Goldberg, born on November 13th, 1955 in New York City portrayed an older Celie Johnson. The older Celie was first seen reading a passage from the Charles Dickens classic, "Oliver Twist", and showed a decent level of literacy at the speed by which she read through the words.

She stopped reading when she heard Albert calling for her to help him get ready for his meeting with Celie. He asked her if his comb was with his other brushes and then yelled at Celie while she looked for his comb since his hair looked greasy.

When Albert panicked upon only seeing one black sock, he yelled for the other black sock and Celie gave it to him. Celie noticed that Albert's sock had a hole so she sewed up the hole in it. Albert also asked Celie to get him his black tie but then said he actually wanted the yellow tie with black on it. Albert asked Celie where his shirt pin was and Celie simply reminded him that it was in his drawer.

As Albert continued to look for his clothes, Celie looked at a poster of Shug Avery, who was a well known jazz singer. Albert asked Celie if she preferred that he wear the black vest or the blue vest, so Celie recommended he use the black vest. Celie then handed Albert a pair of shoes to wear. Goldberg guest starred on the TV series "The Cleaner", "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and "Strong Medicine".

She received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 1986 for "The Color Purple" but lost to Geraldine Page for "The Trip to Bountiful". Other Oscar nominees for Best Actress in a Leading Role that year were Meryl Streep for "Out of Africa", Anne Bancroft for "Agnes of God" and Jessica Lange for "Sweet Dreams".

Answer: Oprah Winfrey

Winfrey, a native of Kosciusko, Mississippi played Sofia. Sofia was a woman who Harpo fell for and was first seen going to Albert's home so she could meet him. Celie described Sofia as being a "big girl". When Sofia got to the home, she and Harpo went to see Albert so Harpo could officially introduce her to him. Harpo commented on what a pretty name she had and that he and Sofia planned to get married.

When Albert heard this, he told Harpo that he got himself in trouble and Sofia assured Albert that she was not trouble, even though she was heavyset. Albert asked Sofia who the father of her unborn baby was and Sofia responded that it was Harpo since he was the only one who she loved. Albert then made a derogatory remark about young women and this upset Sofia. Albert told Sofia he would not let her marry Harpo since he felt a pretty woman like her could do anything to Harpo. Albert commented on how he knew Sofia's father threw her out on the streets and that was where she was living but Sofia reassured him she was not homeless.

Despite Albert's protests, Sofia and Harpo eventually got married. Winfrey voiced characters in the animated films, "The Princess and the Frog", "Charlotte's Web" and "Bee Movie". In 1986, Winfrey received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for "The Color Purple" but lost to Anjelica Huston for "Prizzi's Honor". Other Oscar nominees for Best Supporting Actress that year were Margaret Avery for "The Color Purple", Amy Madigan for "Twice in a Lifetime" and Meg Tilly for "Agnes of God".

Answer: John Patton, Jr.

Patton, Jr., born in 1930 in Garland City, Arkansas had the small role of a preacher. The preacher only had one scene in this movie and that was officiating at the wedding between Harpo and Sofia. There was a moment during the wedding when Harpo fell silent, after the preacher asked him if he took Sofia to be his wife and he first uttered "I don't" but then changed it to "I will".

The preacher then turned to Sofia and asked her if she took Harpo to be her husband and if she would love, honor and cherish him.

He also asked her if she was prepared to perform all duties for him as a wife was supposed to do for a husband until death separated them. Sofia said yes to all these standard questions and so the preacher pronounced that Sofia and Harpo were now legally husband and wife. Patton, Jr. had a guest starring stint on the TV show, "Hill Street Blues".

Answer: Margaret Avery

Avery, born in 1944 in Mangum, Oklahoma was cast as Shug Avery. Shug was a jazz singer and Albert's ex-lover and she was first seen heading to Albert's home in pouring rain. When Albert saw her outside, he instructed Celie to prepare a room in the house for her while he and Harpo helped her inside.

When Shug stepped inside the home, she lifted her head up so Celie could see her eyes and then Shug told Celie she was ugly. Shug was then seen lying down on a bed with Albert right next to her and she told him that she needed a man. Albert then struck a match to light up his pipe and Shug told him that she did not want to smell his pipe so he put out the match. Shug said that she wanted "that thing", referring to Celie, to make her something to eat but Albert said he could get her some food himself.

The following morning, Albert made Shug some breakfast but she threw the food at the wall once she noticed that the meat he cooked her was burned. The following day, Celie made Shug some breakfast and slipped her meal into her room. Avery starred in the movies, "Meet the Browns", "Magnum Force" and "Blueberry Hill".

Answer: Adolph Caesar

Caesar, a native of New York City, portrayed Old Mister Johnson. Old Mister Johnson was Albert's father and he paid him a visit midway through the film right after Albert had Shug live with him. Old Mister Johnson asked Albert what could possibly motivate him to have someone like Shug live in his home. Celie approached Old Mister Johnson and asked him if she could take his hat and he handed her his hat. Old Mister Johnson demeaned Shug by saying her legs looked like "baseball bats", she was "black as tar", she was a "jezebel" and even her father did not want her. Old Mister Johnson continued trashing Shug by saying she was dirty and that he heard she had a nasty disease. Albert told his father that he did not understand how much he loved Shug.

When Old Mister Johnson stated that Shug had many children by many men, Albert said he could vouch for Shug having all her children by the same man but his father did not want to listen to it. Caesar guest starred on the TV series "Tales from the Darkside", "The Wild Wild West" and "Daktari".