'The Color Purple' turns 35: Where are the stars now?

Steven Spielberg directed "The Color Purple," an adaptation of Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name. 

Though he didn't receive a best director Oscar nomination for "The Color Purple," the film itself earned 10 nominations, including best picture. Spielberg won his first Academy Award for 1994's "Schindler's List."

Before "The Color Purple," Spielberg was known for 1981's "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and 1982's "E.T. the Extra Terrestrial"

More recently he directed films including 2013's "Lincoln" and 2018's "The Post."  Spielberg, who turns 74 on Dec. 18, next directs the musical drama "West Side Story," which will arrive in theaters in 2021.

Whoopi Goldberg stars as the inspirational Celie, a woman reclaiming her own history, sexuality, spirituality, and voice in a time that intends to restrict her freedom. 

Goldberg, now 65, has been co-hosting the popular talk show "The View" since 2007, for which she received a Daytime Emmy Award. 

Of course, "The Color Purple" featured two iconic talk-show hosts!

Oprah Winfrey had her breakout role as Sofia, a strong-willed woman who refused to tolerate abuse from any of the men in her life, including her husband, Harpo (Willard E. Pugh).

Winfrey, who received Academy Award and Golden Globe nods for her performance, hosted her popular daytime syndicated talk show, "The Oprah Winfrey Show" from 1986 until 2011. The show received 47 Daytime Emmy Awards.

Oprah, 66, hasn't stopped since ending her show. The powerhouse has since launched the OWN TV network, appeared in movies like "A Wrinkle in Time" and "The Butler," toured the country on a packed stadium tour with Weight Watchers and continued as a philanthropist and interviewer. Her most recent projects include hosting a new AppleTV interview show, "The Oprah Conversation."

Danny Glover is the film's antagonist as Celie's abusive husband, Mister. 

The celebrated actor found major commercial success playing Roger Murtaugh in the "Lethal Weapon" franchise, which also starred Mel Gibson. 

He reunited with Oprah Winfrey once again in 1998's "Beloved."

Glover, 74, most recently appeared in 2019's "Jumanji: The Next Level" as Milo Walker. 

Willard E. Pugh played Harpo, Sofia's abusive husband with whom she eventually makes amends with.

Before his role in "The Color Purple," Pugh appeared in 1984's "The Hills Have Eyes Part II" and 1985's "Stand Alone." He later starred in 1997's "Air Force One."

Pugh, now 61, had his most recent movie role in 2014's "McTaggart's Fortune."

Margaret Avery stars as Mister (Glover)'s long-time mistress, Shug Avery, who develops a peculiar friendship with his wife Celie (Goldberg). 

Prior to her role in "The Color Purple," Avery began her career with movies such as 1972's "Cool Breeze," 1977's "Which Way is Up?" and 1979's "The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh."

Most recently, Avery, now 76, played the recurring character Helen Patterson in the BET drama series "Being Mary Jane"

Akosua Busia stars in "The Color Purple" as Celie's younger sister, Nettie. 

Busia, the daughter of the Republic of Ghana's former Prime Minister Kofi Abrefa Busia, landed roles in 1988's "The Seventh Sign" and 2003's "Tears of the Sun" (pictured here).