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I must confess I had never heard of Oprah Winfrey before she appeared in the role of Sofia in the 1985 film version of Alice Walker’s novel The Color Purple. It was a difficult and demanding part, and I remember being impressed with the power of her portrayal. Roger Ebert called Oprah’s Sofia an “indomitable force of nature.” I also recall learning that Oprah’s own experience had prepared her, in some way, for the role.