Enjoy a purple Valentine on Friday, February 14. On that most romantic of nights, master showman Marc Huestis will screen Steven Spielberg's film of Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "The Color Purple" at the beautiful Castro Theatre. Actress Margaret Avery, Oscar-nominated for her performance as Shug in the film, will appear onstage for a live interview. The filming was the second time the actress encountered the director.
In 1972, Avery had a small role in "Something Evil," a spooky TV movie Spielberg directed during his salad days. When it came time to shoot "The Color Purple" 13 years later, Avery jogged Spielberg's memory. He remembered her.
Though a financial success, the film received a fair amount of criticism upon its release. African Americans picketed, expressing displeasure with Walker for daring to write a story in which black characters dabbled in lesbianism, and which also shined a light on spousal abuse in the black community. The LGBT community took issue with the film as well.
"The gay community felt that the lesbian aspects of the story were glossed over," Avery said to the B.A.R. in a telephone interview. Yet one of the film's highlights remains the lovely sequence in which Shug (Avery) sings the jazzy "Miss Celie's Blues" to a blushing Whoopi Goldberg, in her film debut. Both stars, along with Oprah Winfrey, received Oscar nominations for their work in The Color Purple.
"You feel excited," Avery said of the nomination. "I sat in the first row on Oscar night. I like to feel the ambiance of a room, and you miss that in the front, but I was so excited. We all wanted to do our best for Alice. Every time she came on the set I said, OMG, she'll see me, I hope I do my best."
Avery recalled her casting process. "I was the last character cast," she said. "I had four weeks to gain weight. Steven set me up with Bodies by Jake. The trainer worked me five days a week for 30 minutes a day. I also set my alarm for 2 a.m. and ate vanilla bean ice cream. As we shot, Steven allowed me to see the dailies. My arms were bigger, you could see definition. I glowed. Thank you, Jesus!"
"The Color Purple" was a definite step up for Avery. "Before that I did B and Blaxploitation films," she recalled. "To work on a really classy film set was fabulous."
As the film was shot, co-star Oprah Winfrey, already a popular fixture on Chicago TV, was beginning her ascent into super-stardom. "Oprah got syndicated during the filming of the movie," Avery recalled. "She was shooting several shows a day, going back and forth between the TV studio and film set. We could see who she was becoming even then. Producer Quincy Jones remarked that Oprah was going to be a very powerful woman."
Avery reiterated what many African American actors have said: it's often difficult to get cast. "You want to continue working," she said. "But we were limited. There wasn't a Tyler Perry or a Spike Lee in those days."
But talent won out, and Avery amassed an impressive list of credits in her post-"Purple" career. She currently appears as Gabrielle Union's mom in the BET series "Being Mary Jane." "My character has Lupus," she said. "I hope that the show will raise awareness of the disease. I know people who have Lupus, and it can be devastating."
Avery says she's delighted to be coming to the Castro Theatre, and invites people to come and greet her. She will be available for autographs at 6:30 p.m. In addition to Avery's appearance and the film screening, the evening will include an excerpt from the new documentary "Alice Walker: Beauty in Truth." Filmmaker Pratibha Parmar will introduce the clip.
Purple is the Warmest Color: A Valentine's Day Celebration of The Color Purple, Fri., Feb. 14, Castro Theater, 429 Castro St. Tickets ($35 VIP, includes entry to Ms. Avery's signing; $25 includes film & stage show; $11 film only): www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/447751. Info: (415) 863-0611