It's Giving ‘Hell No’ — Danielle Brooks On Becoming ‘The Color Purple’s’ Sofia

There’s something about Sofia.

The iconic character was first born within the pages of Alice Walker’s canonical 1982 novel, “The Color Purple.” She is a fierce, principled Black woman — friend to the protagonist Celie and wife to Celie’s stepson Harpo, who tarnishes their relationship with violence. But what is most notable about Sofia is that she will not stand down, even against the backdrop of racism and sexism in the South in the 1930s.

Today, actor Danielle Brooks is Sofia for an entirely new generation of audiences, taking on the role for the 2023 musical film “The Color Purple,” and earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role.

“Sofia taught me that I have all that I need inside of me,” Brooks tells Notes from America. 

In this episode, she and Kai sit down for a conversation about a character who has been instrumental to her life and career.

And hell no, that’s not all! Hear their full conversation on Oscar night, March 10, at 6 p.m. ET on the Notes from America broadcast. Check your local public radio listings for more information about where to tune in, or stream the show at www.wnyc.org. 

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Notes from America airs live on Sundays at 6 p.m. ET., and listeners to the broadcast and podcast are invited to join the conversation at 844-745-TALK(8255). Podcast episodes are lightly edited from our live broadcasts.