AceShowbiz - Cynthia Erivo, who won a Tony Award for her performance as Celie in the 2015 Broadway revival of "The Color Purple", has revealed that she was not invited to a friends-and-family screening of the upcoming film adaptation.

In an interview on Marc Maron's "WTF" podcast, Erivo acknowledged tensions with the producers of the film, which stars Fantasia Barrino as Celie. Maron noted that many members of the original Broadway cast were present at the screening, but Erivo did not receive an invitation.

Erivo declined to comment directly on whether she was considered for the role of Celie, but hinted at a "long, complicated conversation" surrounding the casting decision. When Maron pressed her on the matter, Erivo responded, "Well, there's your answer why."

Warner Bros. representatives for "The Color Purple" have not responded to requests for comment.

While Erivo did not reprise her role as Celie in the film, she has gone on to star in high-profile roles in "Wicked", "Harriet" and "Genius." She credits her experience playing Celie on Broadway for preparing her for these subsequent performances.

Erivo described the emotional challenges of portraying Celie, particularly the difficulty in separating the character's experiences from her own. She spoke about the importance of inhabiting the belief that she was ugly before she could truly sing the empowering "I'm Here".

Despite the tensions surrounding the "Color Purple" film, Erivo acknowledged that her time in the Broadway production ultimately shaped her career and prepared her for the demanding roles she has taken on since.