Did you know Tina Turner was supposed to be in Oprah's The Color Purple? Read DEETS
Oprah Winfrey claims that music icon Tina Turner turned down the role of Shug Avery in the ‘The Color Purple’. Read on to know why!
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Just like the rest of the world, Oprah Winfrey, a longtime admirer and friend of Tina Turner, is also mourning her loss. The two ladies frequently crossed paths throughout their careers and fresh revelations from Winfrey claim that they nearly appeared together as co-stars in the 1985 film classic The Colour Purple.
Tina Turner rejected a leading role in ‘The Color Purple’
The Queen of Rock n Roll and eight-time Grammy winner, Tina Turner, who gave her heart and soul to her music career had serious acting ambitions too. Yes, you read that right! At the trailer launch by EW, Oprah Winfrey recalled an incident when Turner was approached to play a part in the movie. Winfrey said, "I remember hearing this from [producer] Quincy Jones years ago, that they had originally gone to Tina Turner in 1985 to ask Tina Turner to play Shug Avery.” She further added, "Tina Turner turned down the role of Shug Avery because she said she'd already lived it with Ike [Turner]. And she was not gonna put herself through it again.” The role was instead given to Margaret Avery and Taraji P. Henson will play the part in the 2023 remake.
Oprah paid tribute to longtime friend Tina Turner
Oprah Winfrey, a close friend of the performer, penned a heartfelt message for the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll on her Instagram when the news of her passing was announced. Winfrey wrote, "I started out as a fan of Tina Turner, then a full-on groupie, following her from show to show around the country, and then, eventually, we became real friends. She is our forever goddess of rock 'n' roll who contained a magnitude of inner strength that grew throughout her life. She was a role model not only for me but for the world. She encouraged a part of me I didn't know existed."
In the second tribute post, Oprah could be seen performing with Turner in a video on Tina’s Wildest Dreams Tour. Along with the video, she wrote about how the ‘What's Love Got to Do with It’ singer made her feel "encouraged" despite her being "so nervous" before performing.
For the unversed, Tina Turner was a popular singer who was well-known as the Queen of Rock n Roll. She rose to fame as the prominent singer of Ike & Tina Turner Revue, but she later launched herself as a solo performer. Some of her hit numbers include What’s Love Got to Do With It, which won her a Grammy Award and she topped the charts on the Billboard Hot 100. She gave many hit numbers throughout her career such as Private Dancer, Better Be Good to Me, Typical Male, We Don’t Need Another Hero, Golden Eye, The Best, to name a few. Sadly, the legendary singer passed away on May 24, 2023. She died aged 83 after suffering a prolonged illness at her home in Kusnacht, Switzerland.
ALSO READ: Tina Turner’s children: Everything to know about the late music legend’s 4 kids
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