VARIOUS: U.S. talkshow host Oprah Winfrey is a possible candidate for 2007 Nobel Peace Prize

U.S. talkshow host Oprah Winfrey is as well known for her charity work as she is for her roles on both the big and small screens. U.S. talk show host Oprah Winfrey is believed to be one of the nominees for this year's Nobel Peace prize. In January, Winfrey opened a 40 million U.S. dollar (USD) school for disadvantaged South African girls which she has paid for out of her own pocket. The sleekly designed campus, sprawling 52 acres in a sleepy community south of Johannesburg, encompasses classrooms and laboratories equipped with flat screen computers, a yoga studio, a beauty salon and a well-stocked library. The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls was inspired by her own humble beginnings, struggling to survive with no electricity or running water, and as a former victim of physical and sexual abuse. In June, Winfrey was accompanied by students of Oprah's Girl's Academy and her best friend Gayle King for the South African premiere of the play The Lion King. Built by Tsogo Sun, the remarkable 1850-seat Teatro Montecasino was designed with The Lion King in mind -- and now South Africa has a new, state-of-the-art venue that will welcome Broadway and London shows for decades to come. In December 2005, Winfrey, as one of the producers of the musical version of Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "The Color Purple", was on hand to debut it on Broadway. Winfrey played one of the supporting roles in the 1985 film adaptation of the play for which she was nominated for an Academy Award. On the red carpet, she shared many wide smiles, while posing with actresses Ruby Dee and Angela Bassett. In June 2006, Winfrey attended the lavish Tony Awards ceremony in New York for which her play "The Color Purple" was given 11 nominations.

ITN Source | October 8, 2007

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