Fantasia Barrino Taylor
This is incredibly striking. The shape of it, the regalness of it, all wonderful. (The purple background, predictable for The Color Purple, but I'm not really mad at it.)
Taraji P. Henson
"Okay, Taraji. Imagine you're in Snow White. You're looking in the mirror. You're feeling yourself. LITERALLY you are feeling your face, admiring it, but... what's that? It's taunting you? It won't tell you that you're the fairest? Now you're starting to get mad, Taraji. The switch is flipping... it's... YES, great, we got it, move along."
Danielle Brooks
This is empirically a pretty photo, and the heart shape of her hands is nice. But it's a little chilly given what a sparkling personality I know she has, and I'm sad that all three Color Purple covers are so frowny. It's like hitting the same flat note over and over again.
Of all her alternate photos, this was the nicest. And with "The Spark" as part of her cover line, wouldn't that have been nice?
I didn't like any of the other Fantasia or Taraji pictures, particularly? I didn't want to leave them out of the fun, though, so here's this bonus shot of the trio. It's... also not great, particularly of Taraji. I'm bummed.
Greta Lee
We got sent TWO cover options for Greta, and they're both nice. This almost has an old-school Vogue vibe to it, like she's an actual model on a summer cover.
Greta Lee
This one is fine, too. It's fine! Listen, it's better than a lot of the other ones.
I actually think her first cover is better than anything else, but I did like the way this dress moved in the picture.
Lily Gladstone
Lily has a lot of power in her eyes in general, so I'm sad it wasn't on display here. They picked a shot where she looks dismayed, or like she had JUST totally zoned out from boredom.
It wouldn't really have made sense as a cover, but I liked this photo a lot better.
And I tossed in this one just because it looks like an oil painting.
Eva Longoria
"Okay, Eva, we've been at this a long time, you've just been on a break, you're splayed out on the stool, your strap is slipping, your back hurts. But now I'm telling you it's time to go back to work so you get that posture a bit straighter and tug that strap -- YES, got it, onto the next."
The face in this one is a LITTLE dark and stormy? But the rest of it is SO good. I like how sexy but potent it is.
America Ferrera
And then suddenly America Ferrera is in, like, a boudoir shoot?!?
Would be weird on a cover, yes, BUT how great and lively is this? Also who doesn't love the vibe of ROOM SERVICE.
Jennifer Lopez
Whoever did her makeup here went WAY overboard contouring Jennifer Lopez's nose. It's SHARP. It's got actual corners. That is not how her nose looks in real life, and it's changing the feel of her whole face.
I mean... tell me you don't wish they'd put that on the cover. That would be hilarious.
Jodie Foster
"Okay, Jodie, I know it's been a long day, you haven't done this in a while, you're sleepy... just let out one more yawn and we can wrap this up.. that's right, rev it up and get ready to let it out -- GREAT, got it, let's call time on this thing."
Just kidding. Although of all these photos, this really WOULD be the most hilarious cover choice of all. I like to imagine Jodie asked what the back of her hair was doing and the photog shrugged and took a picture and then kept it.
This one is quite great, though.