Performing for Oprah May be 'Terrifying,' But for The Color Purple's Danielle Brooks, It's Just Part of the Gig

Purple is the new orange! Danielle Brooks took a break from bringing down the house at The Color Purple to chat with Stephen Colbert about her Broadway debut on January 27. By taking on the role of Sofia, she’s following in the footsteps of her producer Oprah Winfrey, who earned an Oscar nod for her performance in the film. She (understandably) calls it a “terrifying” experience, but between this and her role as Taystee on Orange is the New Black, nothing is too scary for this Juilliard grad. Take a look below at The Late Show interview, in which Brooks also explains how her life in the church (her mom’s a minister; her dad’s a deacon) is a detailed analogy for being on stage. You can catch her shout “Hell no!” at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre.