[intro music]

Kai Wright: Hey, it's Kai, and I have something really special to share with you today. Consider it my Black History Month gift to you this year. It's a preview of a conversation I'm excited to bring you soon with someone whose talent has cemented her in the annals of Black Hollywood history, Hollywood history, period.

Sofia: Howdy, sir. High time me and you was introduced. Tell him who I is, Harpo.

Harpo: Well, Pa, Grampa, Gents, I wants to introduce y'all to my girl. This here Sofia.

Grampa: What a woman.

Pa: Who's killing you, girl? You seem like trouble.

Sofia: Oh, no, sir. I'm one of August's butler's daughters. No trouble at all. Just be [chuckles].

Kai Wright: That bubbly voice with the giggle-to-match belongs to Danielle Brooks, who plays Sofia in the 2023 film adaptation of The Color Purple. Sofia is a no-BS woman with a kind heart and a penchant for justice who's just recognizable in so many of our families. She's a foil and friend to the protagonist, Celie. Sofia refuses to allow her gender or her race to be used as reasons to oppress her, even in the 1930s, even the South. That defiance is part of why her story continues to resonate with each generation that rediscovers The Color Purple.

[MUSIC - Danielle Brooks and The Color Purple Ensemble: Hell No!]

This is not Danielle Brooks' first time as Sofia. She first played the role a decade ago in The Broadway Revival of The Color Purple, earning her a Tony nomination and a Grammy Award. Now her silver screen turn as Sofia has been recognized with a nomination for Best Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role making Danielle Brooks The Color Purple sole representative at the Oscars this year which will air on March 10th. I recently spoke with Danielle about playing a character who has so instrumental to her professional journey.

The Color Purple, as you have said, has just been a huge part of your life and career. Your father took you to see The Color Purple on Broadway at 15. Now you're Sofia. Talk about the way this play and this story has shown up in your life. What has it meant to you?

Danielle Brooks: I think what I'm experiencing right now, Kai, I am sort of going in mourning. I've been with Sofia for so long. Even though I have stopped playing her in the movie, I've been talking about her for months, during this press run. When I talk about her, I'm being asked, "What has she taught you and what lessons have you learned from her?"

When I really reflect on that in my life, she has given me so much on an artistic scale and on a personal scale. I just know come March 10th after the Oscars, when the conversations are over, that chapter is really done. It's going to be complete. That saddens me because I have taken so much from Sofia. She's teaching me how to fight for myself when I've lost that.

There's been moments in this industry where you do feel like, "Man, maybe I should settle for this. Maybe I don't ask for more in my contract, or maybe I just say okay to that when I really didn't want to." or vice versa. Now after playing her, but also this gift that keeps on giving, having more agency behind me, having all of these nominations and BAFTA and SAG and Oscars and critics and da, da, da, da, da, she's really given me ammunition to really fight for what I want and deserve in this industry.

Kai Wright: I was wondering how has she evolved for you over the years of her being in your life, this iconic character. Even for me, she has changed as an idea over the year since I first read Color Purple to watching it now. How has she evolved for you?

Danielle Brooks: In the beginning, she was teaching me that there was a space for me. That portion of my life was when I was 15, when I saw this character, this full-figured woman played by Felicia P. Fields being so bold and brave and living in her skin and saying hell no. When I saw Felicia P. Fields play her in 2005, Sofia was teaching me there's a space for me in this industry. That was the first lesson.

Then playing her on Broadway 10 years later, when I was terrified to be on that stage because I started to have imposter syndrome from everything clicking so fast for me and getting Tony-nominated and now having a Grammy and all these things were just happening and getting to do Orange is the New Black at the same time, people were really seeing my talent. I was starting to feel like, "Oh, no. No. This isn't supposed to happen like this."

Sofia taught me that I have all the power that I need inside of me. I can do it. I can say hell no to my fears. I can say hell no to that I'm not enough and I'm not worthy. She taught me that. When I came into playing her this past year, 2023, that's when she taught me to own my power. I've gone through all of these things in this industry and now it's time to own it, Danielle. It's time to land it. It's time to kick that dirt in the sand dust or whatever it is and just kick that door open the way I do at the top of hell no and come into that house, this is time to own it. It's time to show the world who you are.

Even now, after playing her in this next phase, even though I'm not on stage, but I'm still connected to her, it's the fight. Fighting for myself. I might not win. Shit, I ain't been winning, to be honest. I've won in a sense. I definitely know I have won in a sense. I haven't been winning, but I'm not going to stop fighting. I'm not going to give up and just throw in and say, "All right, that was great. Cool." No, I'm going to fight till the end. That's what she's given me.

Kai Wright: I have to ask that. You can tell me no, but I have to ask if I can get a little bit of Hell No! from you.

Danielle Brooks: Of course.

Kai Wright: Would you give us a little bit of it?

Danielle Brooks: These speakers won't bust out?

Kai Wright: Bust out the speakers. Bust them out.

Danielle Brooks: Okay. "All my life. I've had to fight, I had to fight my daddy, had to fight my brothers, my cousins, my uncles too. But I never, never, never, never, never, never thought I'd have to fight in my own house" (laughs).

Kai Wright: I am blessed. Thank you for that.

Danielle Brooks: That's for anybody who thinks I didn't really sing that.

[laughter]

Kai Wright: Nobody is confused, Danielle.

Danielle Brooks: Okay.

Kai Wright: Nobody is confused.

[MUSIC - Danielle Brooks and The Color Purple Ensemble: Hell No!]

Danielle Brooks: There is much more Danielle Brooks where that came from coming up on Notes from America on Oscar night, Sunday, March 10th, 6 p.m. Eastern. You can hear our full conversation, check your local public radio listings to see if Notes from America airs where you are live, or just stream it at wnyc.org. Thanks for listening.

[MUSIC - Danielle Brooks and The Color Purple Ensemble: Hell No!]

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