Nina Simone’s family is not happy that Zoe Saldana wears a prosthetic nose and blackface for her role as the late singer in “Nina.”
“I’ll tell you what freedom is to me — Not fear… I mean really, no fear,” Saldana, 37, quoted the late singer on Twitter Wednesday in reaction to the criticism.
Simone’s official account fired back, “Cool story but please take Nina’s name out of your mouth. For the rest of your life.”
The account — which is billed as the “Official Twitter for the Estate & Legacy of Dr. Nina Simone #ninasimone Pianist, singer, songwriter, activist, icon, mother. Doctor of Music and Humanities” — later tweeted, “Hopefully people begin to understand this is painful. Gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, nauseating, soul-crushing. It shall pass, but for now…”
The movie, which co-stars David Oyelowo, follows Simone as she attempts to make a comeback in the music business.
Saldana drew much criticism in 2012 after initial images of her in makeup surfaced. Some were outraged, while others thought the film should have cast a dark-skinned actress to play the part of the controversial singer.
Saldana, who is of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent, later revealed her own doubts about the casting. “I didn’t think I was right for the part, and I know a lot people will agree, but then again, I don’t think Elizabeth Taylor was right for Cleopatra either,” she told InStyle in June 2015.
Simone Kelly, Nina Simone’s daughter, voiced her opposition in the New York Times in 2013. “My mother was raised at a time when she was told her nose was too wide, her skin was too dark,” Kelly said. “Appearance-wise this is not the best choice.”
On Thursday, Robert L. Johnson, Founder and Chairman, RLJ Entertainment, Founder, Black Entertainment Television (BET) released a statement about the controversy surrounding the film.
“Zoe Saldana delivers an exceptional and mesmerizing tribute to Nina Simone. She gave her heart and soul to the role and displayed her extraordinary talent. The most important thing is that creativity or quality of performance should never be judged on the basis of color, or ethnicity, or physical likeness. Quality entertainment should be measured by the sheer force of creativity and the commitment that an actor or actress brings to the performance. We are proud to distribute the film headlined by Zoe Saldana and David Oyelowo on April 22, 2016.”