Oprah Winfrey has shut down rumours of a feud between her and Taraji P Henson after the Empire star claimed she fought to get “stuff I shouldn’t have to fight for” on the set of The Color Purple.
Based on Alice Walker’s 1982 novel, Steven Spielberg’s 1985 film and the stage musical of the same name, The Color Purple is a movie musical produced by Winfrey, who starred in the original film.
Henson appears in the film as jazz singer Shug Avery, but revealed in a recent interview that she’d had to fight for the cast to get drivers and security on set after fearing being put in a “dangerous” setting.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Winfrey responded to a suggestion she had clashed with Henson, branding “this whole Taraji thing” mere gossip after seeing that the topic was “trending” the previous day.
“People are saying that I was not supporting Taraji,” Oprah said. “Taraji will tell you herself that I’ve been the greatest champion of this film. Championing not only the behind the scenes projection but also everything that everybody needed.
“So whenever I heard that there was something that someone needed, I’m not in charge of the budget because that’s Warner Brothers you know that’s the way the studio system works.”
She continued: “We as producers, everybody gets their salary, everybody is negotiated by your team. And so, whenever I heard there was an issue or there was a problem, there was a problem with cars or the problem with their food, I would step in and do whatever I could to make it right. And I believe that she would even vouch for that and say that is true.”
Henson in ‘The Color Purple'— (Warner Bros)
The Independent has contacted Henson’s representatives for comment.
Henson’s original comments were made in an interview with The New York Times, where the Empire star said that the cast of The Color Purple got “a lot of stuff on that set” because she fought for it behind the scenes.
“They gave us rental cars, and I was like, ‘I can’t drive myself to set in Atlanta.’ This is insurance liability, it’s dangerous,” she said. “Now they robbing people. What do I look like, taking myself to work by myself in a rental car?
“So I was like, ‘Can I get a driver or security to take me?’ I’m not asking for the moon. They’re like, ‘Well, if we do it for you, we got to do it for everybody.’ Well, do it for everybody! It’s stuff like that, stuff I shouldn’t have to fight for.”
Winfrey (third left) with the cast of ‘The Color Purple'— (Getty Images)
Her sentiment was echoed by co-star Danielle Brooks, who called Henson the cast’s “voice box” on set in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
Brooks claimed that the actors were not initially provided with their own dressing rooms or food during the rehearsal period for the film, and that Winfrey “corrected it” while Henson was “our voice”.
“This was my first studio film. Sometimes you do come in saying, ‘Ok, I’ll take whatever they give me. I’m just happy to be here.’ But [Taraji] spoke up for us. You showed me how to do that,” Brooks said.
The Color Purple is released in UK cinemas on 26 January.
