Oprah Winfrey talks passing baton in "The Color Purple" adaptation: "You have taken it and made it yours"
Actor Danielle Brooks received the news of her casting as Sofia in the highly anticipated musical adaptation of "The Color Purple" when she got a phone call from the actress who previously played her: Oprah Winfrey.
Winfrey, who starred in the 1985 film adaptation of Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, is now a producer for the new movie.
"In that moment, I knew I could feel it in every inch of my body my life was about to change," Brooks told "CBS Mornings."
"I wanted to make the call myself because Sofia had been such an iconic part of me and 'The Color Purple' has been such an amazing part of my life," said Winfrey.
The movie — set to be released on Christmas Day — is already receiving Oscar buzz. Brooks, who had previously been known for her role in the Netflix series "Orange Is the New Black," has already received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
Winfrey said she was excited to pass the baton to Brooks and felt pride in watching Brooks bring Sofia to life on screen.
"We both hugged and cried after she finished. It is officially done. You have taken it and made it yours. It is officially done," Winfrey said.
Brooks said the completion of the movie felt like a "full circle" moment for her, from witnessing "The Color Purple" on Broadway as a teenager with her father to now embodying Sofia herself.
Oprah's advice to Brooks, drawing from Maya Angelou's words, "I come as one, but I stand as 10,000," resonated deeply with her, Brooks said.
"I have a responsibility to all of the Sofias that are living in this world. They need a voice that needs somebody to speak for them which she was for me and now I can be for someone else," said Brooks.