Oprah Winfrey is currently experiencing a full-circle moment as a producer on the musical adaptation of The Color Purple. Originating the role of Sofia in the original 1985 film (despite her $35,000 payday) allowed Winfrey to reflect on her extensive time in the spotlight. The former talk show host decided to casually drop the incredible conversation she had with the late Maya Angelou about her decades-long career.
The media mogul and the late writer shared an undeniable bond that lasted until Angelou’s passing in 2014 at age 86. The Poetic Justice star served as a mother figure to Winfrey, so she would give the Oscar-nominated actress sage advice from time to time. The talk show icon spoke with People about the moment of clarity Angelou gave her after opening the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, saying:
I now know that what Maya Angelou told me when I came back from opening my school in South Africa and I was like, 'Oh, Maya, this school is going to be my greatest legacy, these girls.' And she said, 'You have no idea what your legacy's going to be... because your legacy is never one thing. Your legacy is every life you've touched.
Angelou wasn’t done putting Winfrey’s legacy in perspective. She explained to the latter that her beloved TV show affected multiple people’s lives daily – whether she was aware of her impact or not. The TV host took Angelou’s words to heart, recalling she thought “about the millions of people who heard something” through her show. The Wrinkle in Time star reflected on the whole conversation by mentioning her impact couldn’t “get better than that.”
Even Maya Angelou knew Oprah Winfrey had touched people across different mediums over her long entertainment career. Alongside her groundbreaking self-titled chat show, the talk show titan used her platform to produce uplifting film and TV projects, including talk shows for Dr. Phil and Rachel Ray. She’s acted in projects that have left an impact, including The Color Purple. Owning a TV network and publishing a magazine touched viewers in diverse ways. The multi-Emmy winner has always been driven by purpose and gratitude as she displayed on her former chatfest, so she not only affected the lives of her students, but millions of viewers globally.
However, the late memoirist didn’t just speak with Oprah Winfrey, but delivered inspiration through the poem “Continue” penned for her. Winfrey revealed she was motivated by one line mentioning astonishing “a mean world with your acts of kindness.” Those words have pushed the former 60 Minutes correspondent to continue sharing her platform and time with others.
Oprah Winfrey has shared her time with others lately as she and The Color Purple cast promote the musical film. All this promotion has paid off, as the film received acclaim and multiple nominations from the Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Awards. Audiences will have to wait until December 25 to see if the stage-to-screen adaptation is worth the Oscar buzz. Don’t forget to check out what other upcoming movies are hitting theaters this year.
