It has been reported that Zoe Saldana will replace Mary J. Blige in the role of Nina Simone. Nina Simone was a real life person. We know what she looked like and well it looks like Hollywood is at it again. I for one am outraged. There are far more actresses in Hollywood who could have taken this role.
Let me also say that this is not a slight at Ms. Saldana. She is a great actress but Ms. Saldana in no way shape or form even looks like the legendary Nina Simone. Nina Simone was a Black woman from Tryon, North Carolina and not a Latina.
Zoe Saldana describes herself by saying “I’m just Zoe. Not a little bit Dominican, not a little bit Puerto Rican, none of that silliness… I am what you want me to be if that’s what it takes for you to overcome your insecurities. As a Latina, I think we should be very proud of our heritage. We tend to look for European roots and reject the indigenous and the African, and that is disgusting. Being Latin is a mix of everything. I want my people to not be as insecure, and to adore what we are because it’s beautiful.”
Nina Simone was a beautiful dark skin Black woman.
Once again Hollywood shows no regard for authenticity when it comes to Black women. In the recent movie called Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter the character of President Abraham Lincoln was portrayed by an actor who looked like one of our nation’s greatest presidents. Unfortunately, when casting the role of Harriet Tubman the casting director diverted from this and chose a biracial Dutch actress, Jacqueline Fleming, to play the role of one of America’s greatest heroines and former Black slave Harriet Tubman.
I wonder is Hollywood that oblivious to the blatant colorism they display when casting Black women but only conscience of authenticity when it comes to white characters. Only They know they truth.
Black people images have power. This is why it is imperative that we Black women speak up and let our voices be heard. The most powerful thing we can do is control our image if not others will shape it for you.
Links to the various stories:
Zoe Saldana Attached To Star In Nina Simone Biopic
Zoe Saldana cast in Simone biopic?
Zoe Saldana To Play Nina Simone?
WTF?? These white folks in Hollyweird never quit. What’s next? Paula Patton playing Queen Nzinga? Halle Berry playing Gladys Knight? I wouldn’t doubt it one bit. I didn’t waste my money on the Lincoln film so I wasn’t aware of the “makeover” that Harriet Tubman got. Can’t say I’m surprised though. I’ve noticed a pattern that Hollyweird likes to cast biracial actors when it’s not called for. This colorism sickness is brainwashing little black girls and boys to believe that having some white DNA makes you more relatable. This nonsense has to stop. We as black people have to stop supporting films that try to rewrite our history. And it doesn’t matter if the director is a black man or woman. We have to speak with our dollars or they wont get the message. I know this site is not really geared towards black men. But I do like to visit this blog from time to time to see the opinions of black women. Even if I don’t always agree with what they say. But when it comes to topics like this,I think we can all agree. This whitewashing of our heroes and sheroes must STOP. The colorism is so damn blatant. How can people not see it??
People do not see it. I already am dealing with those in denial.
Yeah I know the feeling. I’m always dealing with those that don’t want to take the blinders off. They’re just going along to get along. They’re so scared of offending someone.Those days are over.
Lauryn Hill would have made a perfect Nina Simone from looks, to singing, to experience…but that would be too much like right…WOOOOOW!!!
Its getting ridiculous. We have gorgeous women of all hues. Queen Latifah would have been good, as much as I don’t like her personally, Gabrielle Union would have been excellent. Zoe can play Rosa Parks! This is another film I can’t fully support.
Amen
Wow, Angela Bassest could have played the role. I will not watch this, are they serious?!!
This is similar to the issue some Nigerians had about the casting of Thandie Newton in a Nigerian film adapted from the book Half of a yellow sun.
The Nina Simone casting is far worse because Nina Simone was an actual person, not just a fictional character. You are so right about people being in denial, but I’m glad you insist on calling it out.
Thanks,
Sarah
Hollywood only during what it knowns to do and that is to the and keep the black race from knowing its true history. They really need to stop all the hate against the true black female.
When I saw this, I felt bad because I had issues coming up with a dark skinned black woman who could play Nina Simone. I shouldn’t have to go out and research to find actresses that could’ve played that part. There should already have been enough repspected black women in mainstream entertainment movies (because belive me when I say, I am tired of having to see a movie with a target audience of black people just to see black people in movies) for the average person to be able come up with someone else who could’ve filled the role.
Reblogged this on Moka Mayhem and commented:
“There is no doubt about who holds the power in the global film industry… without meaningful interventions targeted at the status quo, the industry will fall further and further behind a changing America”.
~ Marian Evans (2008), review essay on a film studies text, “Chick Flicks: Contemporary Women at the Movies”.
But what about the reverse? What about Denzel Washington (dark complexion) playing Malcolm X, who was “red”, i.e., light skin? Hollywood is pretty lazy in casting Black characters so I’m not surprised by this.
That does not happen often plus he is an award winning actor. Secondly blackness is often represented by the most European light skinned biracial/Black person.
I’m not going to complain, because (1) this is what is repeatedly expected of us from Hollywood and (2) it’s fruitless, pointless and thoroughly non-effective.
As best as I can, I want to offer alternatives and possible solutions.
Let’s try something t-o-t-a-l-l-y different for “real” and “lasting” change.
And the only way…..THE ABSOLUTELY ONLY WAY!…you are going to do that is by hitting anti-Black, color-struck and racist Hollywood right where it hurts the most:
In the pocket!
Real Talk!
That’s the real power.
You see, we often quote and reference and get all teary-eyed about the Montgomery Bus Boycott and what we “d-i-d” to make a point about our civil rights, about how Black people meant business back in the day, and how we stuck together as a people when the hammer came down on us…….
Well, guess what people?…
Ain’t a damn thing changed!…We STILL have to stay on point today…if we ever want to get to the next level! The best part about this “reality” is that we can still use the same principles of the Montgomery Bus Boycott today just as effectively as we did then…..
So…
Alternative/Possible Solution #1: Even if the movie is still produced and becomes successfully distributed in the multi-billion dollar global entertainment market, PLEASE WITHHOLD YOUR MONEY…DON’T GO AND SEE IT THE MOVIE…USE YOUR PURCHASING POWER BY WITHHOLDING YOUR MONEY. It’s…just…that…simple. Repeatedly, we whine, complain, moan and thrown tantrums about the mis-characterizations of our great people such as the legendary Nina Simone in these type of movies and YET!… We still go out and give our money to the very devil that sticks us in the a** with his/her fork! (Wake Up My People!) Insanity is defined as doing the same thing over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again and expecting different results. To use a familiar cliche, no one is putting a gun to our heads and forcing us to go to the theater or Wal-Mart or the swap meet or the strip mall and financially support these movies!……
Alternative/Possible Solution # 2: Again, even if the movie successfully enters the multi-billion global entertainment market, in spite of a-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l-l of our protesting, blogging, venting, what have you, there are still competent Black writers, Black biographers, Black producers, Black movie directors, Black music historians, Black entertainers, Black musicians, you name it, all of whom can undeniably and factually produce an AUTHENTIC CINEMATIC VERSION OF THE REAL NINA SIMONE, including the starring role played by a highly-favorable, popularly-recommended, well-qualified beautiful, dark-skinned and extremely-talented African-American female actress, i.e. India Arie, Lauryn Hill, Kimberly Elise, Angela Bassett, Gabrielle Union, Viola Davis, etc., to accurately portray the extraordinary life of this great woman ….
Alternative/Possible Solution #3: We can also continue choose to fatally undervalue, underestimate and marginalize our immense artistic, consumer and financial powers by letting others do for us what we in reality we should be doing for ourselves. But!….ultimately….we….have…got….to…make….a…choice……
@Bougie Girl
Did you read the statement that India Arie wrote? She makes a very passionate argument.
WHAT I FEEL ABOUT THE NINA SIMONE MOVIE: People have been asking me for weeks, months, years about a Nina Simone movie, when I heard about Zoe Saldana being cast I reserved judgement, you NEVER know what People are MEANT to do.
SO TODAY I saw the images of Zoe Saldana as Nina Simone…
AND I THINK THEY ARE RIDICULOUS!
Yes there should be a movie made, and YES they should have chosen someone who LOOKS like Nina Simone, ESPECIALLY since her RACE played such a PIVOTAL role in WHO, WHAT and WHY, she was.
THAT ASIDE for a second, this just looks WEIRD, it looks like a person in Black(er) face with a fake nose … REALLY?!!!!
DOES NOT THE ONE NINA SIMONE’S LEGACY DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS?
If they were going to pick a person who looks NOTHING like Nina Simone … why not her daughter Simone *shrug* just saying …
As hard as Nina had to fight for what she wanted BECAUSE she was black and looked the way she did … THIS looks like a parody. If it has to be FORCED this hard something’s not right!
I am VERY opinionated about music, I can dissect VOCALS ALL DAY, I don’t KNOW ACTING LIKE THAT! But I trust that through her obvious admiration of Nina, that Zoe Saldana can pull off the portrayal ENERGETICALLY …
But these images … just make me feel … SAD. Not because I want to play Nina Simone but because IT FEELS OUT OF PLACE WITH WHAT NINA SIMONE MEANS IN AN AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORICAL CONTEXT!!!! (yes I yelled just now – I am emotional about OTHER things today, and I’m riding the wave of that, but this IS WHAT I FEEL…)
I have always been OPEN to playing Nina, but I never saw its as my RIGHT!
I am clearly Nina Simone’s Physical Heir Apparent, THAT doesn’t mean I SHOULD play her, its been tossed around A LOT, for a LONG TIME. I back down because I feel her legacy deserves better than a FIRST TIME MOVIE ACTRESS, I’m like that about my heroes. If I ever FELT I was truly CALLED to play her, I would. And maybe Zoe Saldana REALLY is BEING CALLED SPIRITUALLY TO PLAY THIS ROLE …
But I DO NOT LIKE these PICTURES. AT ALL.
SEEING Nina Simone changed my life, when I was 17 My cousin and I tried to call her … Whole NOTHER story ….
I will END this by saying I think VIOLA DAVIS should be playing Nina Simone.
Wow!
You don’t necessarily have to “look like” a person to play that person. It’s called “ACTING.” I know that we have strong feelings about it but we shouldn’t tear down Zoe Saldana. Diana Ross did NOT look like Billie Holiday and yet she did an awesome job in Lady Sings the Blues. I’m gonna support Zoe in the role because she’s got the role and now all she can do is give it her very best — which I’m certain she will do. Stop doing the “crabs in a barrell” dance. Wish you the best Zoe. Do you damndest to portray Nina with all your heart and soul.
You have a right to believe that but Ms. Simone’s daughter would disagree with you. I suggest you read her statement regarding the issue.
Ms. Simone’s looks, her Blackness and love of her Blackness were intrinsically tied to her experience. To deny that is to not tell the true and authentic Nina Simone story.
Of course we have a right to think and believe what we do. What about Zoe Saldana’s Blackness. As far as I’ve read Ms. Saldana is proud of her heritage and totally identifies herself as Black. I’m just not happy that we seem to be slamming our sister because she got the part. It’s obvious that India Arie would be an awesome fit, but she didn’t get the part. I have a feeling that Nina would NOT be slamming her sister for getting the opportunity.
@rhondawaller I’m sorry but I think you’re off base. Zoe has said many times that she’s a proud Latina.Zoe is wearing black face in this film! That is insulting! What years is it? 1924?? If Zoe is so proud of her “blackness” she would have turned down this role and let it go to some one more fitting. I think Zoe is a talented actress but this role is not for her. And I think black people should boycott this film. We have to speak with our wallets and not support films that degrade and insult the legacy of our heroes. Bougie Girl was right about Nina’s blackness being intrinsically tied to her experience. her portrayal is a slap in the face to Nina! I wont be supporting this Hollywood white-washing garbage! And the director is a white woman no less. I get tired of white people trying to tell OUR stories. White women no NOTHING about what black women go through in this country. White people always get our stories wrong.