John Baptiste joins the cast of The Color Purple

After dominating the Grammy Awards with five wins, including Album of the Year, John Batiste is set to conquer a new avenue of acting. The musician joined the cast of “The Color Purple” by Blitz Bazawule for his acting debut.

Batiste is set to portray Grady, husband to Shug Avery (played by Taraji P. Henson). The majestic, well-spoken piano man is described as “the epitome of magic and eloquence”.

Join the star-studded cast led by Fantasia Parino (in her first feature film) as Seely, a black woman whose personal awakening in the early 20th century American South is at the center of this epic tale. The full lineup includes Danielle Brooks as Sophia, Henson as Shuge Avery, Coleman Domingo as Master, Corey Hawkins as Harpo, She as Squeak, Halle Bailey as Young Nettie, Ciara as Nettie and Elizabeth Marvell as Miss Millie, David Alan Greer as Reverend Avery, Tamala J. Mann as First Lady, Phylicia Pearl Mpasi as Young Celie, Deon Cole as Alfonso, Stephen Hill as Buster, Academy Award winner Louis Gosset Jr as Ol’ Mister and last Academy Award nominee Aunjanue Ellis as Mama, Celie and Nettie’s mother.

The upcoming musical from Warner Bros. It is adapted from the popular American novel Alice Walker, as well as the 1985 Academy Award-nominated Steven Spielberg and Tony Award-winning Broadway musical that inspired it. Oprah Winfrey, who first appeared in this film, is producing the new project under her Harpo Films banner. Spielberg is also back in production for Amblin Entertainment. Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones, who both produced the Broadway musical, are also producers. Alice Walker, Rebecca Walker, Mara Jacobs, Carla Gardini, Kristi McCusco Krieger, and Adam Vail are executive producers.

Baptiste is perhaps best known for being the bandleader and musical director of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” on CBS, where he has served since 2015. Although this marks his first film role, Baptiste is already an Academy Award winner. In 2020, Batiste won Best Original Score for Disney-Pixar’s “Soul,” an honor he shared with fellow composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. In doing so, Batiste became the second black composer in history, after legendary jazz musician Herbie Hancock, to win an Academy Award in that category.

Outside the world of film and television, the New Orleans-born musician received his first Grammy Award nomination (for Best Performance by American Roots) in 2018, followed by two more nominations in 2020 for his self-produced albums, “Chronology of a Dream: Living in the Village Vanguard” and “Reflections”. (with Corey Wong). His 2021 studio album “We Are” was released to overwhelming critical acclaim, contributing significantly to Batiste’s massive tally of 11 Grammy Award nominations across seven categories. After winning five Grammy Awards and a thrilling performance during telecasts, Batiste’s music enjoyed a 950% increase in broadcasts. Baptiste is represented by the CAA and attorneys Dan Schulman and Evan Krause in Eisner, LLP.



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