Desreta Jackson (born April 19, 1971) is a Virgin Islander actress, producer and entrepreneur. She is best known for her role as Young Celie in the movie ''
The Color Purple
''The Color Purple'' is a 1982 epistolary novel by American author Alice Walker that won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Book Award for Fiction.
Early life and education
Jackson was born in
Tortola
Tortola () is the largest and most populated island of the British Virgin Islands, a group of islands that form part of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands. It has a surface area of with a total population of 23,908, with 9,400 residents in ...
in the
British Virgin Islands
The British Virgin Islands (BVI), officially the Virgin Islands, are a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, to the east of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands and north-west ...
and migrated to the United States at the age of nine. Her family settled in a skid row area of
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
and her mother collected cans to support her. After two years, her mother found housing in
South Central Los Angeles
South Los Angeles, also known as South Central Los Angeles or simply South Central, is a region in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, lying mostly within the city limits of Los Angeles, south of Downtown Los Angeles, downtown.
It is de ...
. After acting in a scene in a school play, she told her mother that she wanted to take drama classes. Her mother enrolled her in acting classes to keep her away from gang activity where they lived in California.
After various roles in television and movies, Jackson earned a degree in directing from
Los Angeles City College
Los Angeles City College (LACC) is a public community college in East Hollywood, California. A part of the Los Angeles Community College District, it is located on Vermont Avenue south of Santa Monica Boulevard on the former campus of the U ...
.
Acting career
Jackson's career began after only a short time in acting school. She was at a casting call for ''The Color Purple'' when she was spotted by the producer
Reuben Cannon
Reuben Cannon (born February 11, 1946
) is an American film producer and casting director. Cannon was the first black casting director in Hollywood; he was the head of television casting for Warner Brothers from 1977 to 1978, and started his own ...
and she was called back for more casting calls. She was given the role of the young Celie Harris (with
Whoopi Goldberg
Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg (), is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality.Kuchwara, Michael (AP Drama Writer)"Whoopi Goldberg: A One-Woman Character Parade". ...
as adult Celie), who is forced to marry a wealthy young local widower (
Danny Glover
Danny Glover ( ; born July 22, 1946) is an American actor, producer, and political activist. Over his career he has received List of awards and nominations received by Danny Glover, numerous accolades including the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian A ...
) who abuses her.
Jackson continued her career with roles in both television and film.
Filmography
Theater
Personal life
Jackson is the founder of BlackSilk Products, a hair care product company that she launched in 2011. She began the business from home in 2002, making her own hair care products such as oils, hair treatments, shampoos and conditioners.