Introducing the November Cover Stars

This is what it looks like when you put sisterhood, talent, and joy in one room! Oprah Winfrey, Taraji P. Henson, Fantasia, Danielle Brooks & H.E.R. take center stage as ‘The Color Purple’ cast graces the cover of our November/December issue, shot by Mickalene Thomas.

During our ESSENCE cover shoot, Oprah Winfrey led a discussion about the experience they shared of making the movie. She asked, "what would you say to the women who played your characters in the original 1985 cast of The Color Purple?"

Fantasia: "I would say thank you, Ms. Whoopi Goldberg, for not being afraid to play Celie. For being honest. Thank you for paving the way for girls like myself."

Taraji: "I would say to Margaret Avery: You taught me how to be sexy and how to see myself as a fully realized sexy woman."

H.E.R.: "Ms. Rae Dawn Chong, thank you for giving me an opportunity to show myself. A lot of people know me and my music, but they don’t really know me. They’re getting to see me: Who I am, having fun and feeling empowered."

Danielle: "I just want to thank you, Ms. Oprah, for surrendering to God and his plan for your life. You have shown me how to do that. Thank you for laying the blueprint for Sofia—because I know that she’s changed your life, and I can feel that mine is about to shift, too. Thank you for leaving space for me but also being there, to hold my hand and answer that phone call when I needed you. You have been such a light, such a beautiful soul."

Photographer: @mickalenethomas
Writer: @felicexleon

Meet the superstars who glam up Hollywood’s A-list - THR’s 2023 #BeautyIssue spotlights the hair, makeup and nail professionals who keep stars like #ZoeSaldana, #GabrielleUnion and #DakotaJohnson looking flawless. 

Zoe Saldaña + Vera Steimberg + Mara Roszak
@zoesaldana @makeupbyvera7 @mararoszak
Photographer: Jonny Marlow @jonnymarlow
Stylist: Petra Flannery @petraflannery
Location: Pendry Residences West Hollywood’s Estate 705 @pendrywesthollywood

Gabrielle Union + Larry Sims gabunion @larryjarahsims
Photographer: Joelle Grace Taylor @joellegrace
Stylist: Thomas Christos Kikis @thomaschristos
Location: L’Ermitage Beverly Hills @lermitagebh

Dakota Johnson + Tracey Cunningham
Photographer: Jonny Marlow @jonnymarlow⁠
Johnson Stylist: Kate Young @kateyoung⁠
Johnson Hair: Mark Townsend @marktownsend1
Johnson Makeup: @georgieeisdell
Location: Soho House Holloway @sohohouse

For @vibemagazine’s October 2023 digital cover story, music mogul, prolific producer, award-winning songwriter, and rap artist @jermainedupri is finally getting the flowers he deserves. We talk about his career, his journey, and music contributions since launching @sosodef 30 years ago! Link in bio to read more. 👊🏾

🖊️: @preezydakid
📸: @thecamkirk
👖: @renaldonehemiah

Strength has always been about muscle.

But through the past three and a half decades at Men’s Health, we’ve watched as strength has also come to mean resilience, versatility, fearlessness, resolve, power, and the ability to change hearts and minds based sheerly upon who you are.

In honor of our 35th anniversary, we’ve highlighted men like @ChrisHemsworth, @Kaepernick7, @SSGTravisMills—and 32 other powerhouses—who have forever changed how we define strength, grit, and toughness.

EIC: @richdorment
Photographers: @stevenchee, @joshuakissi, @_tonyluong
Writers: @bencourt, @mitchsjackson, @cjchivers

Introducing the second cover star of Esquire’s 90th anniversary issue, @dr.yusefsalaam. As one of the Central Park Five, he served seven years in prison for a horrific crime he didn’t commit. Now, Salaam wants to serve the city that condemned him—he’s running to represent Harlem on the New York City Council.

For Esquire’s 90th, we’re spotlighting people and ideas that are defining our world now and will for the next 90 years to come. Read the second cover story of three starring Yusef Salaam at the link in bio.

Story: Mark Warren
Editor in Chief: @michaeljsebastian
Photographer: @normanjeanroy
Styling: @billmulleninc

Led by Olivia Dunne and Angel Reese, LSU is setting the standard for athletes in women’s sports capitalizing on NIL deals.

Stephanie Apstein on the women’s program ruling the new college sports economy, in SI’s ‘The Money Issue’ 

@BarbraStreisand’s legendary career has spanned seven decades, and in her new memoir, the icon reveals all.

‘My Name Is Barbra,’ is packed with startling honesty, analyses of her films, encyclopedic recall of onstage outfits, and deadpan parenthetical asides—including a running bit about how much she loves going to the dentist. She even recounts the chilling origins of her stage fright—thanks to Charlie Chaplin’s son—as well as her hilarious opening line to husband James Brolin, the time Marlon Brando propositioned her, and explains what she used to think the Streisand Effect means.

For VF’s November issue, VF editor in chief @radhikajones is at home with the icon ahead of the release of her 992-page book, talking music, movies, and Lea Michele. Read a rare interview with the star, plus an excerpt from her memoir, at the link in bio.

Photo: Richard Avedon, Barbra Streisand, April 1, 1970. Copyright The Richard Avedon Foundation. @avedonfoundation

In our exclusive #HipHop50 Fall Issue with @MassAppeal, we’re giving flowers to the fearless, specifically our cover star @bustarhymes! As a rapper, songwriter and producer, Busta Rhymes has proven he’s one of Hip Hop’s most transformative figures.

In our Fall issue we dive into his culturally descriptive career that spans three decades.

Pick up the Fall 2023 Hip-Hop 50 commemorative print edition of EBONY Magazine in partnership with Mass Appeal at magazines.com, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Walgreens, Target, Publix, Safeway, Kroger, Books A Million, and more, plus select retailers in London and South Africa on September 19th. 

@AmericaFerrera is GLAMOUR’s global Women of the Year cover star.

#AmericaFerrera’s talent, passion, and unwavering commitment to breaking barriers has been inspiring people around the world for decades. The award-winning actress, and avid activist writes exclusively for GLAMOUR on how she has united her two passions to incite change.