Directed by Steven Spielberg   Written by Menno Meyjes   Alice Walker   Cast Danny Glover ... Albert Whoopi Goldberg ... Celie Johnson Margaret Avery ... Shug Avery Oprah Winfrey ... Sofia Willard E. Pugh ... Harpo Johnson (as Willard Pugh) Akosua Busia ... Nettie Harris Desreta Jackson ... Young Celie Harris Adolph Caesar ... Old Mister Johnson Rae Dawn Chong ... Squeak Dana Ivey ... Miss Millie Leonard Jackson ... Pa Harris Bennet Guillory ... Grady John Patton Jr. ... Preacher Carl Anderson ... Reverend Samuel Susan Beaubian ... Corrine James Tillis ... Buster Phillip Strong ... Mayor Laurence Fishburne ... Swain (as Larry Fishburne) Peto Kinsaka ... Adam Lelo Masamba ... Olivia Margaret Freeman ... Odessa Howard Starr ... Young Harpo Daphaine Oliver ... Young Olivia Jadili Johnson ... Young Adam Lillian Njoki Distefano ... Young Tashi Donna Buie ... Daisy Leon Rippy ... Store Clerk John Ratch Hart ... Mailman (as John R. Hart) David Thomas ... Road Gang Leader Carrie Murray ... Loretta Juliet Poe ... Church Sister Katie Simon ... Church Sister Ethel Taylor ... Church Sister Marcus Covington ... Boy Marcus Liles ... Boo April Myers ... Emma Maurice Moore ... Child #1 Lechanda Latharp ... Child #2 Drew Bundini Brown ... Jook Joint Patron Arnold F. Turner ... Jook Joint Patron (as Arnold Turner) Jeris Poindexter ... Jook Joint Patron (as Jeris Lee Poindexter) Hawthorne James ... Jook Joint Patron (as James Hawthorne) Sonny Terry ... Jook Joint Musician (as Saunders Sonny Terry) Greg Phillinganes ... Jook Joint Musician Roy Gaines ... Jook Joint Musician Paulinho Da Costa ... African Musician Nana Yaw Asiedu ... African Musician Clarence Avant ... African Musician Bayo Martin ... African Musician Ndugu Chancler ... African Musician Jeffrey Kwashi ... African Musician Pete Munzhi ... African Musician Aniijia Rae Schockley ... African Musician Uncredited Cast Maria Howell ... Church Choir Soloist Gayle King ... Churchgoer Kenneth LeGrand ... Johnson Family Friend Alex Martin ... Little Girl Joni Palmer ... Self - Junk Joint Madison T. Shockley Sr. ... African Chief Produced by Peter Guber   Carole Isenberg   Quincy Jones   Kathleen Kennedy   Frank Marshall   Jon Peters   Steven Spielberg   Lori Weintraub   Original Music by Quincy Jones

Additional Info Premiere: December 16, 1985 Theatrical Release: February 07, 1986 DVD Release: March 26, 1997 Blu-ray Release: January 25, 2011 Country: Distributor: Warner Brother Studios Websites: Production Companies Warner Bros. (presents) Amblin Entertainment The Guber-Peters Company Distributors Warner Bros.   (1985) (United States) (theatrical) Warner Home Video   (1987) (United States) (laserdisc) (video) American Broadcasting Company (ABC)   (1988) (United States) (Network Television Premiere) (TV) CBS   (1990) (United States) (TV) Warner Bros. Television   (1990) (United States) (syndication) (TV) Warner Home Video   (1997) (United States) (widescreen) (DVD) Warner Home Video   (2003) (United States) (DVD) Warner Home Video   (2007) (United States) (DVD) Warner Home Video   (2011) (United States) (DVD) Warner Home Video   (2011) (United States) (Blu-ray) (DVD) HBO Max   (2020) (United States) (VOD) (video) Filming Locations Anson County, North Carolina, USA Ansonville, North Carolina, USA Charlotte, North Carolina, USA   (near) Kenya Lilesville, North Carolina, USA Marshville, North Carolina, USA Mentryville, California, USA Newhall, California, USA North Carolina, USA Salisbury, North Carolina, USA   (General Store Interiors) Six Points Texas, Backlot, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA Stage 37, Universal Studios - 100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, California, USA Union County, North Carolina, USA USA Wadesboro Courthouse - 114 North Greene Street, Wadesboro, North Carolina, USA Rating Stats Overall Rating 7.7 / 10 Our Rating -- / 10 Your Friends -- / 10 Male Users -- / 10 Female Users -- / 10 Site Ranking #1,745 / 21,204 Site Ranking #1,741 Selma (2014) #1,742 Sky High (2005) #1,743 The X-Files: I Want To Believe (2008) #1,744 The Outsider: Season 1 (2020) #1,745 The Color Purple (1985) #1,746 Pearl (2022) #1,747 Renfield (2023) #1,748 Mike And Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016) #1,749 House Of 1000 Corpses (2003)