As “The Color Purple” continues its awards season campaign, a lot has been made about the behind the scenes drama, especially a possible feud between producer Oprah Winfrey and star Taraji P. Henson. However, why is there even drama to obsess over? According to The Hollywood Reporter, on Wednesday, Winfrey and Steven Spielberg, along with Henson, Danielle Brooks and Fantasia Barrino spoke at a special screening of the film. During a Q&A moderated by Kerry Washington, Henson, who plays Shug Avery, explained how Oprah’s “pride…in this project” helped the cast find their place in the popular story, saying it “poured into us.” She also revealed that it was Oprah who dealt with the various on-set issues they encountered, like problems with transportation and food.
“I mean, she called and was like, ‘If there’s anything I can help you with, let me know,’” Henson said. “And I said, ‘Well since you asked.’ But this is the job of the producer, right? Some producers don’t even come to set, y’all. This is a blessing that she came. But my point is that that’s the job of the producer, a good producer. And when I told her, she said, ‘Say less.’ The next day everything was fixed, and then she was on set for all the important and heavy lifts. She was there holding our hands with the whole thing, loving on us.”
The real problem with this story is that it’s even a thing. The fact that both these women have had to address this rumored feud multiple times is yet another example of Hollywood’s endless misogyny. When men work together, it’s always presented as a “bromance,” but for women there’s always a feud happening. This is a tale as old as Hollywood, so it’s not exactly a new phenomenon. However, that doesn’t make it any less frustrating.
The film is about the sisterhood of these women loving and supporting each other through their trauma. And these amazing women have been praising one another non-stop throughout the movie’s press tour. Other than one questionable moment at the top of the Empire State Building, they have done nothing to warrant all this speculation. And it turns out all those internet body language experts were wrong, because they were just cold.
Like any other workplace, people disagree during production, but that doesn’t mean they hate each other. When men have disagreements it’s seen as a joke or that they’re just alpha males who learned to compromise and became best friends. But with women, especially Black women, they can’t be professional, there has to be a catfight happening.
And let’s be honest: This isn’t a Hollywood-centric issue. There’s a long-standing, ridiculous trope that women can’t coexist in professional settings. We know this nonsense was probably started by men who wanted to negatively impact the advancement of women, but the fact that it’s still making headlines in 2024 is BS.
It’s time that Black women are shown courtesy and respect as professionals who can manage their business without drama. If one disagreement isn’t considered a feud for men, it shouldn’t be treated that way for women.