Oprah Winfrey: Tina Turner declined leading role in The Color Purple

Oprah Winfrey recalled the time when the late Tina Turner reportedly rejected the leading role in the 1985 adaptation of The Color Purple.

According to the report shared by Entertainment Weekly, Winfrey, who was the producer of the musical remake, opened up that Turner was approached to play the role of Shug Avery in the movie.

“I remember hearing this from Quincy Jones years ago, that they had originally gone to Tina Turner in 1985 to ask Tina Turner to play Shug Avery,” said Winfrey.

She continued, “Tina Turner turned down the role of Shug Avery because she said she'd already lived it with Ike (her ex-husband).”

“And she was not gonna put herself through it again,” remembered Winfrey.

The role however went to Margaret Avery, while Táta Vega voiced Shug when she was singing.

For the unversed, the movie The Color Purple is based on African-American women who experienced several problems in their lifetime including domestic violence.

Turner also spoke for the first time about her abusive marriage in 1981, three years after her divorce from her ex-husband Ike Turner.

On May 24, the late musician’s family announced that she had “died peacefully” at age 83 in Switzerland after prolonged illness.

Soon after this announcement, Winfrey, Beyoncé, Mick Jagger, Elton John, Viola Davis and other celebrities pay their tribute to the “legend” on social media.