Zoe Saldana Casting as Nina Simone Controversial, Too 'Light-Skinned' For BioPic?
The casting of Zoe Saldana, a light-skinned Dominican actress, has drawn criticism for being selected to portray the late Nina Simone.
The reaction has focused on whether Saldana was cast because she is light skinned and considered a better choice to meet Hollywood's standards of beauty, instead of casting a darker skinned actress.
The "Avatar" actress' portrayal of the songbird Simone, nicknamed "The High Priestess of Soul," has inspired a group to start a petition asking the film's executive producer Jimmy Iovine and the movie's director and screenwriter, Cynthia Mort to "replace Zoe Saldana with an actress who actually looks like Nina Simone."
"It is without a doubt straight up disrespectful to Ms. Simone and her legacy to get an actress who looks nothing like she did to portray her in a movie about her life, the petition at Change.org reads. "Getting light complexioned actors to play the roles of dark complexioned historical figures is not only a sign of blatant disrespect to the persons they are portraying, but it is also disrespectful to their families, to history, to the people who look like the persons being whitewashed, and to the intelligence of the audience."
The petition has garnered 9,000 signtaures.
Simone Kelly, the singer's daughter, also did not agree with Saldana being cast to play her mother.
"My mother was raised at a time when she was told her nose was too wide, her skin was too dark. Appearance-wise (Zoe Saldana) is not the best choice."
Photos leaked from the movie set show Saldana wearing a prosthetic nose and an afro wig and her skin darkened for the role as Nina Simone.
Kelly mentioned several well-known dark-skinned actresses who could have played Simone such as the Academy Award nominee Viola Davis and Kimberly Elise ("Diary Of A Mad Black Woman.") She also disclosed that her mother wanted Whoopi Goldberg to play her.
She explained the subject further on her Facebook page:
"Please note, this project is unauthorized. The Nina Simone Estate was never asked permission nor invited to participate," Kelly wrote.
She commended Angela Bassett for her portrayal of Tina Turner in "What's Love Got To Do With It".
"She NAILED IT!" Kelly wrote. "For too long Hollywood has gotten away with this practice of revisionist history and it is time that we let our voices be heard, be it by this petition or by boycotting the movie if no change has been made as to who will portray Nina Simone," wrote one of the commentators with their sgnature.
