Joyful noise filled the Linwood Dunn Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, as guests eagerly awaited to watch the remake of the American masterpiece, The Color Purple on December 3rd. The exclusive screening was provided by The Black Excellence Brunch series and the mastermind behind it, Trell Thomas. In August 2018, the South Carolina native created the brunch collective after the family-style Sunday dinners that were a staple in his community, hoping to celebrate and uplift the Black professionals in Los Angeles and beyond who are elevating within their fields. So far, the Black Excellence Brunch series has expanded from Los Angeles to Atlanta, Florida, and even Ghana with two missions: to connect like-minded individuals and unapologetically celebrate their collective excellence.
However, Sunday’s Los Angeles screening and the brunch event did resemble more of a down-home, church, and southern feel, even in the middle of Hollywood. To achieve this, Thomas teamed up with Warner Bros. to curate an “awe-inspiring” experience that included a private viewing of The Color Purple (2023) followed by a catered brunch with Southern favorites like fried chicken, buttermilk biscuits, and home fries presented by Chef Joe at the luxury venue, Serra On Vine.
Event producer Cornelius Humphries, founder of The Shaunta Brand, worked tirelessly to create a purple enclave, which included intentional and delicious crafted cocktails and mocktails like “Sister’s Keeper” sponsored by Diageo, which followed the theme of the film. Upon entering the venue, guests were blessed with angelic voices from a gospel choir, who sang classics by gospel luminaries like Kirk Franklin, The Clark Sisters, and Tye Tribbett, truly taking us all to church.
In addition to the majority of the film’s cast in attendance (Fantasia, Taraji P Henson, Danielle Brooks),…
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