25 thoughts on “Everyone Meet The New Nina Simone”

1. U wld think Uzo Aduba would have been cast for this.

   She has hardcore African-american features, she can ACT, and she can SING.

2. 11 actresses who could’ve played Nina Simone
   http://www.theroot.com/blogs/the_grapevine/2016/03/_11_actresses_who_could_play_nina_simone_without_blackface.html

   1. My choice would be Uzo Aduba from Orange is the New Black

3. This should’ve went to Uzo aka crazy eyes

   1. ^YES!

   2. This movie was filmed in 2012,did we even know who Uzo was in 2012.That applies to Lupita as well,people have been mentioning her.

4. Viola Davis would have wore this role OUT!!!……………………………………

   1. I was thinking her too, she would be AMAZING! I love her as an actress, she probably didn’t audition for the part.

5. I can’t believe I’m about to say this but, Raven actually made a very good point on The View today regarding Zoe’s casting. She said that the problem with using Zoe is that she is an A-List actress and with a figure as intriguing as Nina Simone it would be great to see someone completely immersed in the role. This would have been a great chance to cast a lesser known actress and make it her break out role. Zoe was doing a fantastic job acting in the trailer but, all I’m seeing is Zoe with a poor make-up job. It’s distracting from the story.

6. I wonder if they hired a darker skin Afro-Latina would African Americans still have a problem?… But here’s what I found interesting that no one is taking consideration on:

   “Zoe did say that she first rejected the role, feeling that she was not the right person to play her. The script was sent to other actresses who may have been more appropriate, in terms of skin color and physical features, but once all of those women declined, Saldana felt that she needed to take the role out of love for Nina Simone.”
   http://www.inquisitr.com/2844522/zoe-saldana-as-nina-simone-a-controversy-discussing-afro-latinas-antiblackness-and-colorism/

   So I’ guessing the producer did search for actresses who were more appropriate to played Nina Simone but they all rejected the role. In my honest opinion, I think the reason why they chose Zoe Saldana is because they didn’t want some C-list actress to play Nina Simone and couldn’t get a Viola Davis to be the part, so Zoe was the next best option.

   1. I was actually thinking it would be something like this. If there aren’t enough people who are trying out for the role, or accepting the offer what can they do? It seems like they are trying to make a decent movie, so it didn’t bother me much.

      1. That what I was thinking…. Trey mention they should had hired a lesser well-known actress, but I think maybe they didn’t want an actress who doesn’t have enough experience to play a black icon because the Aaliyah movie incident, but I know this movie is going to flop because no one is going to watch this

      2. And did you know Kerry Washington and Forest Whitaker were in blackface when they film Last King of Scotland? I see the double standards

7. Surprisingly, I wasn’t that bothered by this, they probably should have cast someone truer to her skin tone, but at least Zoe is a good actress and she is going to do a good job I think. It’s probably because I’m not well acquainted with her music unfortunately.

   Idk. I’m not hating on Zoe, I’m happy for her, but the black face thing is silly. *sigh*

8. I thought her acting seemed on point. I wasn’t paying attention to the makeup. She can definitely act.

   She obviously gives no fucks what the black community feels and I think that’s a good thing to some degree.

   Half of the blacks complaining don’t know anything about Nina Simone other than she’s a dark skinned woman and she sings “Feeling Good” and all the while they still have a personal preference for light skinned people.

9. Love Zoe but that makeup is totally distracting. A well acted and put together film but her makeup literally makes you not pay attention. She looks crazy. They could have a least used silicone prosthetics to make it look more real. She looked more real in Avatar than in this movie. Shame. I don’t even blame Zoe though. She wanted a more serious role as an actress, which they all usually want once they reach a certain level of fame. But the producers just cast her for her good name and to cause controversy.

10. I like Zoe’s acting here BUT it is not enough to change the fact that they should have a naturally darker skin actress playing her. The way the make up is on her skin is like Y.Colette said very distracting. There are so many few roles for dark skin women in film and tv this could have really been an answer to that.

11. I am so happy that they made her look the part.

12. I guess I’m the only one who liked this trailer.

    I’m going to put a target on my back, but damn I wish this came out closer to awards season. It’s going to be hard to gun for a nomination this far up in the year (See “Get on up”)

    But she really does look like she’s bringing her all to this role. I mean seriously, look at her previous work and tell me she’s not challenging herself. I’m proud of her and I can’t wait to see this. The acting really does look spot on, similar to Meryl Streep in the Iron Lady or Ben Kingsly in Ghandi.

13. This is a fucking disgrace and disrespectful to the memory of Queen Nina. This makeup made me cringe, but that is Hollywood for you, she was a regal chocolate brown Queen and to have her played in Blackface no matter how good a actress Ms. Saldana may be is blasphemy. White Hollywood will never draw the line, next they are going to have Miley Cirus, Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson playing the damn Clark Sisters, and Kelly Clarkson starring in the “Aretha Franklin” story. I hear they have cast a white actor to play Michael Jackson in an upcoming movie. Who is going to draw the damn line. This movie must have been cast by Wendy Williams and Lifetime. This woman story needs to be told because she was a gifted complicated musical genius, but to have her portrayed by someone who is no where near her skin tone is a slap in the face and sends a message that real Black skin is not good enough. I am highly offended at this bullshit and I hope Black America sits this one out. Interesting that they cast the Brother in the film in his right skin tone, so why not Nina. She deserves better than this.

    1. I get it her skin tone doesn’t match..blah blah blah. That is not the point. She (zoe) doesn’t accept ownself for who she is… Nina KNEW who she was and claimed herself. Zoe on the other hasn’t a clue to who and what Nina represents.

14. The makeup or “blackface” is caked on so thick it is distracting.I had to watch it with my eyes closed which defeats the purpose of watching a film.

15. She isnt black enough for people like you, she always says she is black or afro-latina do your research

    1. What the hell do you mean not Black enough for people like you? We know she is Black but we come in all different skin tones and a movie about a great Icon such as Nina needs to be played by an actress who resembles her true skin tone, not someone in clown makeup. She was proud of her Black heritage and would not approve of this, clearly you know nothing about her. But your name speaks volumes.

    2. No honey when I was little my mama told me when I tried fit the square shape into the circle opening on this toy I had, “Baby a square can’t fit in a circle. IF YOU HAVE TO PUSH AND WORK THAT HARD TO MAKE IT FIT YOU GOTTA FIGURE IT JUST DON’T BELONG!!!” They had to work to hard to Make her look like this woman. That should have been a sign this just does not work. Plus aside from the looks she the voice the demeanor does even remotely remind me of this woman. Don’t get me wrong if she would have bodied this I could less about her being a latina, but this was just wrong. If you think I am making to much of it just look at the NETFLIX documentary! This is not ‘Nina’ not even close.

Comments are closed.