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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.
"My mother was raised at a time when she was told her nose was too wide, her skin was too dark".
While she isn't taking aim at Saldana, Simone Kelly is still unhappy about the Cynthia Mort-directed project.
After Saldana tried to salvage the controversy by quoting the late artist on Twitter, the estate asked her to "take Nina's name out your mouth. For the rest of your life", came the acid response from the Simone Twitter account.
Among the reactions on social media was a reminder of the claim by many of a lack of diversity in Hollywood. Let's create a positive from a negative by coming together and acknowledging the authentic Nina Simone.
The Miles Davis and Chet Baker movies are set to screen at SXSW shortly, and there's that Hank Williams biopic I Saw the Light (starring Brit thesp Tom Hiddleston as the country great) on the way to a theatrical release on March 25. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Spike TV) Enlarge AP ** FILE ** Nina Simone is shown in this 1993 handout file photo. In an interview with Time, Kelly said, "It's unfortunate that Zoe Saldana is being attacked so viciously when she is someone who is part of a larger picture".
Aware of the controversy and people's criticism, Saldanatold InStyle magazine that she originally did not believe she was the best person to portray Simone, according to the Huffington Post.
For those who don't know, Simone became known as one of the sterling voices of the Civil Rights Movement.
So what is the problem that some have with Saldana's casting? Nothing can diminish Nina or her legacy.
The lies in question are about the film's premise - there was no relationship with Simone's manager, save for the fact that Kelly alleges Henderson was gay. "The project has been tainted from the very beginning".
Simone Kelly instead threw her support behind the critically acclaimed, Oscar-nominated documentary What Happened, Miss Simone? which she said captures the full, tragic scope of her mother's life and the way her career was shaped by racism. Critics were displeased that the actress - who is of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent - would play the African American star, who passed away at age 70 in April 2003.
"Zoe Saldana delivers an exceptional and mesmerizing tribute to Nina Simone".
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