Grammy winner Jon Batiste to make acting debut

After dominating the Grammy Awards with five wins, Jon Batiste is set to make his debut in acting. The musician has joined the cast of ‘The Color Purple,’ directed by Blitz Bazawule, for his feature acting debut, reports Variety.

Batiste is set to portray Grady, a debonair, sweet-talking piano man who is the epitome of charm and eloquence and husband of Shug Avery. Taraji P Henson is set to star as Shug Avery in the film.

The rest of the cast includes Corey Hawkins, Aunjanue Ellis, Fantasia Barrino, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Ciara, Louis Gosset Jr., David Alan Grier and H.E.R. in what will also be the musician’s acting debut.

Director of ‘Black Is King’ Bazawule directs the film from a script by Marcus Gardley.

Warner Bros. will release ‘The Color Purple’ on December 20, 2023. Production is currently underway in Georgia.

The upcoming Warner Bros musical movie is an adaptation of Alice Walker’s iconic American novel, as well as the Oscar-nominated 1985 film from Steven Spielberg and Tony Award-winning Broadway musical that it inspired.

The plot of ‘The Color Purple’ revolves around, a black lady who grows up in extreme poverty in the American South and faces severe treatment from her stepfather, husband, and others in her life, putting her faith in God and humanity to the test.

The film is produced by Spielberg, Winfrey, Scott Sanders and Quincy Jones, and it is executive produced by Alice Walker, Rebecca Walker, Mara Jacobs, Carla Gardini, Kristie Macosko Krieger and Adam Fell.