Take Two translates the day’s headlines for Southern California, making sense of the news and cultural events that affect our lives. Produced by Southern California Public Radio and broadcast from October 2012 – June 2021. Hosted by A Martinez.
Few would deny that the late Nina Simone was gifted and black.
And so, when directors of an upcoming biopic about Simone announced in 2012 that actress Zoe Saldana would have the lead, fans of the singer were a bit concerned; Saldana is Puerto Rican and Dominican, several shades lighter than Nina Simone, and her features less pronounced.
Earlier this week, a trailer was released, and fans were given a taste of the film.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3EWygLE_No
Reaction from black bloggers and commentators in the Twittersphere have been overwhelmingly negative.
#NinaSimone was a beautiful darkskin black woman and out of all ppl yall go get @zoesaldana so yall can throw some kmart bronzer on her! DF
— #Renaissance 🐝 (@itsLiterallyHim) March 4, 2016
#NinaSimoneMovie is outright offensive. Mind-boggling that it could be made in 2016 ... 100% sure #NinaSimone is rolling over in her grave.
— April Davis (@April_Davis) March 3, 2016
Even Nina Simone’s estate served up some cold shade against Saldana.
The exchange elicited this fitting response by one Tweeter:
.
— Black Girl Nerds (@BlackGirlNerds)
.@NinaSimoneMusic @zoesaldana pic.twitter.com/uT78kPsBHn
— Black Girl Nerds (@BlackGirlNerds) March 3, 2016
Why did Saldana’s appearance cause a social media upset? Possibly because it struck a long-sensitive nerve in the African-American community, and revived conversations around a word that's all-too-familiar in the black community: colorism.
For more on the casting decision, Take Two spoke to actress Anne-Marie Johnson.