Margaret ”Shug” Avery Talks The Color Purple | Advice to Actors | Taraji P Henson’s Role as Shug

In this latest episode of "The Bianca Bee Show" we sit down with Actress Margaret Avery, best known for her iconic role as “SHUG” in the original COLOR PURPLE film. She discusses her experience filming "The Color Purple," also offering insights for actors and sharing advice. She delves into Taraji P. Henson's portrayal of Shug, providing a unique perspective on the role. Tune in to gain valuable insights into the world of acting and the iconic character of Shug.

 

Actress Margaret was born in Mangum, Oklahoma. As the daughter of a Navy man, she was raised in San Diego, California, where she completed high school and demonstrated a certain passion for acting while in her teens. After graduating from San Francisco State University and joining the Los Angeles public school system as a Teacher, she fueled her creative interests and developed performing skills with evening and weekend singing, acting, and dancing gigs. Her early 1970s theatrical performances included "Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?", for which she nabbed the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award plus caught the eye of Clint Eastwood who quickly cast her in his film, “Magnum Force”.

 

Her skills as an actress helped her move into prominent television roles on “Sanford & Son”, “Kojak”, “Marcus Welby M.D.”, “Baby, I’m Back” and Blaxploitation films such as, “Scott Joplin”, “Which Way is UP”, “Return of SuperFly” and more. Appearing in such established TV series and films allowed Margaret to land one of her iconic and most notable roles to date as “Shug Avery” – a drug-riddled, hyper-sexual, fly-by-night singer in The Color Purple. This amazing role garnered her an Academy Award nomination and has allowed her career to span over 40 years.

 

In recent years, Ms. Avery continues to portray meaningful roles on popular television shows and films like the crime drama, “Proud Mary” with Taraji P. Henson, the family-friendly comedy “Grand-Daddy Day Care” and as the late Richard Roundtree’s tv-wife & Gabrielle Union’s Mom on “Being Mary Jane”.

 

Follow her on social media https://www.instagram.com/margaretshugavery/