Zoe Saldana Not Black Enough? Nina Simone Estate Lashes Out
Zoe Saldana Not Black Enough? Nina Simone Estate Lashes Out
3/3/2016 8:21 AM PT
The estate of legendary jazz and soul singer Nina Simone has no love for Zoe Saldana -- who's playing Nina in a biopic -- and sparked outrage over Zoe's skin color after the movie trailer debuted.
Nina's estate finally gave its two cents on Saldana getting the role, and it was not good. It's clear in the trailer that producers darkened Zoe's skin for the movie, "Nina" ... and that's pissing off fans, and clearly the estate too.
After Saldana simply tweeted a quote from Nina ... the estate fired back -- "please take Nina's name out of your mouth. For the rest of your life."
Simone fans have had equally harsh reactions to Saldana's casting. They're pissed about her prosthetic nose, and the darkened skin thing is really pissing people off because Nina stood for up for black empowerment and civil rights.
Critics think Viola Davis or Uzo Aduba would have been better picks. Saldana hasn't responded. The movie comes out next month.