Desreta Jackson, The Iconic Actress Who Portrayed The Original Young Celie in The Color Purple, Reveals Untold Stories That Have Remained Hidden Until Now! 

Iconic Actress Desreta Jackson, The Original Young Celie in The Color Purple, Unveils Untold Stories! 

Interview by: Gina Sedman 

Ms. Desreta Jackson possesses a rare and exceptional talent. She first showcased her remarkable acting abilities in her breakthrough role as Young Celie in the original version of The Color Purple, alongside renowned actors such as Whoopie Goldberg, Winfrey, Danny Glover, and other notable figures. Additionally, she made an appearance in the popular comedy film Sister Act. Not only did she star in some of the most significant films of the 80s and 90s, but she is also the Founder/CEO of a highly successful natural haircare product line, which has received recognition from the US Senate of California. Remarkably, her product line has maintained an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau for 20 years without a single complaint. This talented and inspiring individual is truly unstoppable! It was a great honor for me to have the opportunity to speak with her and discuss her journey in the captivating realms of film, television, and beauty. Here is what she graciously shared with me.   

Ms. Jackson, thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. It is indeed an honor. Thank you for having me. I appreciate you as well. 

Thank you so kindly. May I ask where you are currently located? I'm in California. I live so close to the mountains that my backyard is a mountain. It's very peaceful living here.  

I can relate to living by the mountains. I used to live in Palm Springs, and there was a lot of desert wildlife around. The coyotes and mountain lions frightened me, but I managed to survive. (laughs) Oh yes. (laughs) 

Now, where are you initially from? I'm originally from the British Virgin Islands, Tortola.  

Please tell me about your journey from there to America. I left the British Virgin Islands at a young age, so I don't remember the trip. I was told that my mother and I were on the run.  

Yeah. We went from one island to another until we eventually reached California. I also spent some time in New York and Chicago. Life was tough during that period as we were constantly struggling and homeless. 

What made you settle in California? When I was a child, I suffered from a strange condition where I would become paralyzed from the waist down. This happened about the last three to four months of every year, and I would be unable to move or walk, causing me to be bedridden. However, I suppressed much of what I experienced during those episodes. As an adult who helps others, I understand why my mind blocked out those memories to protect me during the molestation from my stepfather. 

What do you think triggered it? Well, because I was abused and molested as a child, I believe my body shut down to help me survive. So, when we moved to California, and I was away from my molester, it was the first time in my entire life that I did not experience paralysis. 

I can recall the morning when I realized a year had passed, and I wasn't confined to my bed.   Despite being homeless and staying intermittently at the Roosevelt Hotel located downtown on 'Skid Row,' I was happy. 

I found California to be a safe place for me, and it just felt right. I loved everything about it. Even the little things, like not knowing where we would sleep at night, didn't bother me because I was happy. I loved it and I've never left California. 

Yes, What a powerful story. Thank you so much for sharing that, Desreta.  Ironically, you mentioned that because I have some shared experiences with you. As a child, my mom moved us around quite a bit when I was a child. I went to 14 different schools, including moving nine different times. There were even times when we were homeless as well. I remember my mom would take us to toy charities and Skid Row during Christmas to get toys, clothing, and food.  

I recall feeling embarrassed when the local news would come with their big cameras to interview people about how they felt about receiving toys for Christmas. As a child, I cared so much about what my friends would think if they saw me getting free toys and food on TV. I used to dread Christmas because of this. However, seeing how God has brought us from that place to where we are now is amazing! Like you said, I don't regret anything that has happened because it has made us into the women we are today. Yes, I agree because if I listed all my struggles, I can so clearly see how my thinking and the choices I made in life were directly connected to how I perceive the world. So no, I don't regret my life either. Grant it, some things didn't happen the way they happened for many people, but I am still grateful. 

Amen to that. Desreta, you had humble beginnings, as you graciously shared with me. Through all the struggles, how did you find your ram in the bush - acting? Well, while still homeless, my mother met this man. He was like her boyfriend, but he was the one who made her aware of the assistance available to her as a single mother with a child. She didn't realize that she didn't have to be homeless with a child, but he told her about the help that was available. 

After living on the streets for a while, we finally got our first apartment in South Central LA. Once we moved in and got comfortable, my mother enrolled me in an elementary school. Unfortunately, I often got into fights. 

Oh no! After all you went through, now fights? That's so sad. Yes, girl. And I believe they wanted to fight me because of my accent and because I wore pigtails. That's the way little girls from the West Indies wore their hair, like “Celie” in “The Color Purple.” So, I was constantly getting bullied and getting into fights. And although I’m not the kind of person that starts anything, even as a child, I had no problems ending it. Although I was quiet, I was dangerous.  

At some point, I started getting into gangs. My affiliation made things easier on the streets, so I went all in. One day, while attending an English class, the teacher gave us an assignment to perform a scene in front of the class. The teacher chose me and another young lady to act out the scene. As we began the performance, the young lady started crying and became more dramatic. I was like, OH! Then I really went in!  

For a moment, I felt like I was lost in a world where I could no longer distinguish between the make-believe world and reality in the classroom. I became so engaged that I cried, and so did she. By the time it was over, the whole classroom was crying, including the teacher. Then they began clapping and gave us a standing ovation. I remember leaving that room that day, walking home, and thinking to myself, "This is what I want to do.” 

When I was about four or five years old, living on the Island, I used to sing and tell people that I would become a movie star someday. Recently, I found it fascinating to recall that memory. It brought back the feeling I had as a kid when I realized I wanted to act. So, I went to my mother and told her that I wanted to act. Consequently, I joined Marla Gibbs' acting class. 

How was it? I loved it! It felt natural and drew me away from the streets a little bit. That's how I got into acting. 

You know, Desreta, I've always believed that there is something, even as children, that shows what we are naturally inclined to do. God gives gifts to all men, and if parents would open their eyes and look, they could see that child's potential. Your love for acting helped you walk away from destructive behaviors and lifestyle choices and toward your purpose. It's a fantastic story. You've been in successful films like Sister Act and The Color Purple. Can you describe the moment when you got your big break? When my mother received the bill for my acting class, we realized it wasn't affordable. Later, we came across an advertisement for free acting lessons, so we decided to go for it. Ironically, we found out that the ad was a misprint. Moreover, the acting school was quite far away, and I had to take three buses to reach it. However, since I had a bus pass, the transportation cost was not an issue.  

During the orientation, we went to a school called "Rainbow Connection," owned by Kim Field's mother, Chip Fields. The teacher was not only impressed with me but optimistic about working together. However, we discovered that the school's tuition was even higher than the previous acting class, but we were unaware of this due to a misprinted ad.   

The teacher informed me that "The Color Purple" was casting actors, and she wanted to submit herself for the role of "Squeak." When she went to audition for a specific role, she was informed that the casting directors were not looking for anyone to fit that particular part. However, they were looking for someone who could play a different character. She happened to have a picture of me and showed it to them. After seeing my picture, they asked her to have me come down to the audition held at Morningside High School in Inglewood, CA. It was a cattle call. Because I didn't have a resume, the teacher created one for me. Then she asked my mother if I could attend the audition since the casting directors had invited me to audition. But my mother said, "no." She didn't want to take me out of school. 

So, when my mom said no, they tried everything to make her realize the seriousness of this invitation. They continued to pressure her. They told her, "Do you not understand that this is a Steven Spielberg film? It's a major role!" Eventually, she agreed, and I went to the audition. The line was very long. It must have been about a two-to-three-hour long line.  

How exciting! How was the process for you? When I stepped onto the stage with my script in hand, the casting director, Reuben Cannon, quickly approached me. He asked me to turn around as he looked me up and down, then asked if I could attend another audition that was being held somewhere else. So, when I went to the "call back" and walked into this theater, I noticed the room was filled with young girls waiting. 

 Because I had never been to a Hollywood audition, I was like, wow! So, this is what it's like! After the girl who auditioned left the room, a lady called someone else to come in. However, when she saw me, she asked: "Are you, Desreta Jackson?" I answered: "Yes." Then she informed me that they were waiting for me.  

She immediately took me into a completely dark theater. I couldn't see anything besides me and had no idea what was happening. Suddenly, I noticed a glowing area on stage, reminiscent of a halo, and Steven Spielberg stood there. 

Are you kidding me? No, and I've never shared this story before. I wanted to, but I had no time to write it. So, you got it first.  

I feel honored that you shared that story with me. Please continue. After I walked straight towards the light, he introduced himself. To my surprise, he already knew me. I expected to read the script, but he wanted me to adlib instead. He said, 'Just go with it.'" 

So he told me he wanted me to pretend that there was this much older man looking at me and eyeing my little sister, but I'm not sure where this is going. Thus, he played the older man with me.  

 So, as I was acting, there was this innate feeling of protecting my sister and trying to block the view. Then, when he complimented my smile, I giggled, smiled, and covered my mouth. So he liked it so much that he commented about it later and asked me to keep it.   

After we finished this audition, he continued to want to do additional scenes with me. The next thing I knew, many people were clapping at the end of my audition. Again, I couldn't see anything because it was pitch black; by the sound of the applause, it seemed there were at least a dozen people. At that point, I realized other people were there besides Spielberg and me.  

Steven Spielberg congratulated me on my performance and invited me to visit Amblin Entertainment at Universal Studios in Universal City, California. At the time, I didn't realize that it was a continuation of the screen test. As I left the room, I noticed the other actresses looking at me, puzzled. I later realized that they were used to the audition process being much shorter. Looking back, I can see why they were curious because my audition had lasted quite a long time. 

As soon as I arrived at Amblin, I went to Spielberg's office. In his office, he had a camera set up on a stand, and he took me in there and asked me to do the same thing we did before, but this time on camera.   

Did you meet any of the other actors? No, I didn't meet or screen-test with anyone but Spielberg. I wasn't introduced to anyone until I was filmed. 

Wow. Was that it? No, I went back to Amblin maybe around another half a dozen times. I would go there, and then they would tell me to come back again to do more testing.   

I was so excited when I saw the kitchen. It was like nothing I had ever seen before. The refrigerator was stocked with ice cream and even a room filled with video games. He had games that weren't even available in the market yet! 

I remember coming home, and our answering machine was filled with messages from different agencies and people from Hollywood, all trying to solicit my business. They were calling because I needed an agent, so I sought advice from Steven Spielberg on who to choose as representation since I wasn't quite sure what to do. 

So, one day, I approached Steven and told him, "Hey, I've been receiving numerous voicemails from different agencies, but I'm unsure which one to choose." Then, he asked me if a man named "Harry Gold" had called. I replied that I didn't know, and he said Harry Gold would contact me. I was told to go with him when he called, and he did call. So, I went with him. Most of the cast members were signed to his agency. 

Who is Harry Gold? During that time, "Harry Gold" was "Hollywood." So, he was your agent. He was highly influential in Hollywood. But, for the most part, that's the story of how I got cast into The Color Purple and signed with my first agent. 

Wow! What a fantastic story. Thank you so much for sharing that with me. That's awesome! As a young girl from an economically disadvantaged background, what did you think when you found yourself on the same set as Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey? Before my involvement in The Color Purple, I had never watched a movie or stepped foot inside a movie theater. I was completely unaware of the fame and recognition that Spielberg, Whoopi Goldberg, and Oprah Winfrey held. Therefore, when I found myself on the same set as these renowned personalities, it was an entirely new experience. The only actress I had previously met was Akosua Busia, who portrayed my sister and the man who played my father in the original film before we went to NC.  

What scene did you film first? Our first scene was me giving birth. On the first day of filming, my scene was shot. Most of my scenes were shot before anyone else in the production was filmed.  

An interesting coincidence occurred while filming my birthing scene, which Steven Spielberg directed. Towards the end of the scene, Spielberg received a call informing him that his wife was giving birth in real life as she was pregnant at that time. Therefore, he wrapped up the shoot, laughed, and left immediately so he could be there for the birth of his baby. Upon his return, he told me that the scene he captured of me giving birth in the film reflected the real birthing process.  

It was meaningful to me because I was young back then and had never experienced childbirth before. However, I was simply following Steven Spielberg's instructions and guidance. Whenever he asked me to push or scream, I did as he said. Consequently, it turned out great for me. 

Did you film the entire movie in California? No, we filmed the house scenes in North Carolina on an actual plantation.  

Remember, in the first 40 minutes of the movie, it was just me, Danny Glover, and Akosua Busia, the actress who played my sister. The only other actors I would meet were the ones that came to visit the set to see their dailies, the raw, unedited footage that was previously shot. Although they were nice people, I didn't know who they were.  

With this, Desreta, let me ask you a question. What were some of the challenges encountered during filming? Although my mother and I had a great facade going, she wasn't a very caring mother. But she did her best.  

For example, while filming at work, I was expected to watch over my siblings. As soon as I went back to the room, my mother would scold me, saying, "Those people aren't your friends! You still have to keep up with your siblings and make sure they're okay!" I would feel frustrated about this. While studying my script and trying to learn my lines, I would be interrupted by my siblings and have to stop what I was doing to take care of them. 

Oh no! That's not cool at all, but the story is hilarious! I've been in your shoes myself. I think it's because many mothers who can't afford a babysitter use their older children to look after the younger ones. It's very common for parents to do this when they have multiple siblings. But from a sibling's perspective, I can understand how distracting and annoying that can be. (laughs) Can you tell me about an interesting experience that you had while on set? Yes. Danny Glover slapped the mess out of me for real!  

What! Yes, but back then, I didn't think anything of it because it was just acting for me. In the scene where I was combing the little girl's hair, he was supposed to slap me. And I knew that he was supposed to do that, but I didn't know he was going to hit me in real life. And I was taught in acting class, that you never stop a scene. So, when the slap happened, that was what went through my mind. After that, I immediately responded with a face of why? That face was me wanting to know why because I expected it to be fake. But, clearly, it was great. (laughs)  

Then, after the slap, Spielberg said, "Cut! He then asked Danny Glover, "Did you really hit her? And Danny kept apologizing, But I didn't take it personally. It was just acting. 

Being so young, how did you mentally for your role before filming? Well, one of the things is I always believed that I really understood Celie on a deep level naturally. And that may be because, during that time, I was abused and molested. So, when I read the script, I understood her on a deeper level.  I was able to relate to her having to keep quiet because I never objected to things around me as a child with people in authority. 

So, I understood what that was. When Spielberg allowed me to act, not just recite lines, the character development was top-notch. It allowed me to embody the character with natural characteristics, such as covering my mouth when I speak. This behavior was rooted in a deeper issue - the character didn't feel beautiful. Therefore, she refrained from smiling in her highest moments. However, when she was alone, she smiled and was happy just for herself. This was the essence of the character, and it came easily to me.  

After The Color Purple, I took theater, and I learned the Meisner technique. I went to The School of The Arts where I studied the arts. So, I learned many different techniques. During the development process, it is crucial to tap into the natural abilities that come with portraying a character. This innate talent allows me to analyze and understand the character's growth and development quickly. However, the auditioning process can be restrictive nowadays. It often involves receiving a script with numerous pages and being expected to perform on short notice. Despite this, I still take the time to delve into the depths of my character, writing down all the necessary details. Unfortunately, these intricacies may not always come across during an audition.   

Nevertheless, immersing myself in the role is essential to my craft. For example, while on hold for the role of a matriarch, I fully embraced the character's traits and behaviors, even outside of filming. My family had to deal with me embodying that character for two days straight. Although it may seem extreme to some, this level of commitment helps me truly understand and portray the character's essence. It has become my second nature, influencing my decisions, words, and actions. Even my son noticed its impact on me as I responded to his request for ice cream in character. (laughs) This approach allows me to grasp the character's mindset and thought process fully, ultimately enhancing my performance as an actor. 

During our formative years, there was a significant emphasis on investing in the development of artists in the music and film industry. This dedication led to a remarkable standard of entertainment. However, in recent times, there has been a decline in the overall quality of entertainment. I believe it is crucial for aspiring actors and singers, irrespective of their age or experience, to learn from industry veterans like yourself. You're right because sadly many people judge you by your social media following or the amount of likes that you have.  

Yes. So Desreta, after The Color Purple, what were your next steps? I decided to leave the industry early, not because I didn't enjoy acting, but because I felt like it wasn't helping me grow into the person I wanted to be. Success in the industry seemed to have little to do with talent, and I didn't want to fight that battle on top of the other challenges I was already facing.  

Being a young teenager, I didn't have the capacity to fully understand and navigate those struggles. Looking back at the 80s, when I was a child star, I believe many of my peers couldn't survive and fell into drug addiction for this very reason. It was a different time, without the internet to warn us about the dangers and experiences of others. We couldn't just turn to social media for support; we had to follow the rules set by gatekeepers. The rules of engagement were very different then. The Choices were, either I conform or leave, so I chose to leave and pave my own path. 

Yes, it's good for you to set those boundaries, as we discussed earlier. Although traumatic, the things we have been through have shaped us into who we are today, and that's what's important. I am very grateful that I have always been connected without even knowing it, and that's nobody but God. Yes! During my absence from Hollywood, I wrote my first book called "The Black Hair Conspiracy."  

I became a professional hair braider at the age of 12. This is how I survived. In the 90s, I had the idea of starting a legally licensed hair braiding business in South Central. My company was called 'Mohogany Mane,' and I worked from home. I accepted credit cards, I was legalized, and I even had clients in Japan. I also started making products for my clients with hair problems.  

What year did you start that business? "I started my business in 2010. Among all the product lines currently available, ours is the only one that people have been using for 20 years and still stand behind it. These are all my formulas. I am not a celebrity who merely puts my name on an existing product. My products have been curated for over a year or two. Also, I am proud to say that I am recognized by the US State Senate of California, and my product line has been awarded. We are also the only product line with an A+ rating on the Better Business Bureau for 20 years without any complaints.  

Thank you, and absolutely. Firstly, no matter what you're doing or what your vision is, it's important to stay true to yourself and persevere. Let me give you an example. About ten years ago, I started attending red-carpet events. At that time, people questioned my relevance and wondered what I was doing. However, I confidently shared my accomplishments as a corporation's CEO, production company owner, and even a farmer. I explained that I was involved in various creative endeavors, including writing a book.  

Some people advised me to focus on one thing and be successful at it, but I believed that my creativity should not be limited. Now, in 2023, I see that many others have followed suit. Having multiple streams of income and utilizing one's talents in different areas is now encouraged. So, remember, when you pursue your passions, don't let others discourage you. Keep pushing forward and embracing all the things you love to do.  

Last, I firmly believe that you should never abandon your dreams but exert immense effort and remain authentic. Have faith in your capabilities, and never shy away from taking risks. It is important to remember that personal achievements do not solely measure your success or your impact on others. 

In closing, Desreta, I would like to express my sentiments once again. I offer my prayers that God will continue to bestow blessings upon the endeavors you undertake, in accordance with His divine plan for your life. I pray for God's protection over you and your loved ones as you embark on your journey. May He grant you wisdom and surround you with remarkable individuals who will support you and have your best interests at heart.  

May you be shielded from any ulterior motives or harm, and instead be surrounded by genuine love and care. I eagerly anticipate witnessing the incredible things that will unfold for you. You are truly a legend in my eyes, and I extend my gratitude for your contributions to black film and its enduring legacy. You were the catalyst that ignited its success, and you remain relevant not because of social media validation, but because God created you in His image, and you are undeniably beautiful.  

Thank you for granting me the privilege of interviewing a legend. I am truly grateful. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Wishing you a delightful day in sunny California. Take care and have a wonderful day. I absolutely adore that, Gina. Thank you. 

End of Interview

The Cover photo of Desreta Jackson is by Michael Roud. All additional photos of Desreta Jackson are a courtesy of Desreta Jackson. 

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