“The Color Purple” stars Oprah and Taraji P. Henson might ... maybe ... possibly beefing—from what some fans of the “Empire” actor and media mogul say they can see with their own eyes.
In a video circulating around TikTok, commentators said the two look like they were getting tight, to say the least, while coming together for a photo op. And while we never claimed to be body language experts, there are plenty of people on social media who act like they are.
Taken from a Dec. 12 press op hosted on top of New York City’s Empire State Building, the video seems to show Oprah awkwardly coming over to Taraji. They both meet each other’s eyes for a moment before seemingly being interested in looking anywhere but at each other. Ever shared an elevator with a colleague you absolutely hate? The clip (below) gives that same energy, according to Black TikTok.
One commentator summed up the situation with, “Oprah is doing the walk that parents do when they know they were wrong but don’t want to actually apologize to the kid.”
Then there was this comment: “Taraji looks like she is fighting tears at the end too.”
In addition to losing buckets of weight, another commentator noted that “Oprah has changed so much. It’s terrible to see.”
Another commentator responded, “You remember when Mo’Nique tried to tell us about Oprah?” We absolutely remember Mo’Nique’s comments about Oprah.
“I don’t think these women were paid well for this movie. Why do I feel she (Oprah) threw them under the bus the same way she did to Mo’Nique,” said another commentator, which elicited 2900 likes in agreement.
“Can all billionaires be done? Not just Oprah?” asked another commentator. “I know she’s the focus, but we are too poor to give these billionaires the clout.”
Well there are absolutely shocking differences when comparing Black billionaires like Oprah to, let’s say, Jeff Bezos. But point taken. Everyone seems to be struggling, and Taraji recently admitted that Black actors in Hollywood are struggling too when it comes to pay disparities and inequality.
And Taraji is not alone, Gabrielle Union, Keke Palmer and Black actors spoke out about how they have to do the most on screen while getting the least. And perhaps that is what this whole possible beef is about: Oprah not wanting money troubles to take the attention away from the film—which produced by Steven Spielberg, Quincy Jones and, of course, Oprah.
Can a woman who has her own avocado farm—who makes even white men jealous of her wealth—really relate to the money woes of Black actors in Hollywood? Well, it turns out she can.
In an Oprah Daily interview published Dec. 19 with her bestie Gayle King, Oprah shared that she only received $35,000 from her role as Sofia in the original “The Color Purple.” But according to her, she would have done the role for nothing.
“That’s how you know you really love something when you would do it even if nobody was paying,” Oprah said during the interview. Perhaps, per social media comments, Oprah already knew that “The Color Purple” musical stars Fantasia Barrino—whose style has been considerably upgraded—Danielle Brooks and Taraji were not being paid enough, and they should soldier on for the love of the project.
Now, of course, all these social media comments and theories aren’t happening in a vacuum. Taraji’s team—or the giant PR machine that seems to be behind “The Color Purple—must have found out that the narrative is changing behind the film and nudged her to make a statement because she did.
Posting a photo to Instagram from that day on top of the Empire State Building, Taraji punctuated a statement with lots of purple hearts:
It is so important for black women and ALL women of color to support each other.
It is also imperative to have women of color in decision making positions across ALL industries.
Thank you for responding to my message with the compassion, understanding and support that I’ve received.
With that being said ...
Ms. OPRAH has been nothing less than a steady and solid beacon of light to ALL OF THE CAST of The Color Purple!!!
She has provided ENCOURAGEMENT, GUIDANCE nad UNWAVERING SUPPORT to us all.
She told me personally to reach out to her for ANYTHING I needed, and I did!
It took ONE CALL... ONE CONVERSATION... and ONE DECISION MAKING BLACK WOMAN to make me feel head.
Thank You Ms. @OPRAH For ALL That You Do
However, Black Twitter—and anyone else who has been watching the body language shift in these press clips—still seem to feel that something is definitely up.
Blink three times if you need us to send in a rescue squad, Taraji!