Zoe Saldana can’t seem to catch a break as critics become more outraged about her role as legendary African-American singer Nina Simone in an upcoming biopic, and now the Twitter handle representing Simone’s estate has slammed the actress as well.
“Cool story but please take Nina’s name out your mouth. For the rest of your life,” the estate’s verified account responded to Saldana quoting Simone on her Twitter account.
On Tuesday, shortly after the official poster for “Nina” was released, fans took to Twitter to point out that Saldana looks nothing like Simone, the singer-songwriter and civil rights activist whose struggle to balance music, family and personal political beliefs found her living alone in France, feeling exiled from her native U.S.
“Zoe Saldana looks nothing like Nina Simone #FAIL not even close,” tweeted one user. “Why not just Will Smith to do it?”
In 2012, rumors circulated that Saldana would play Simone, and the response was overwhelmingly negative, with fans saying Saldana is too light-skinned to portray the singer.
In 2014, an image was released in which Saldana’s nose had been altered with a prosthetic. Many took to Twitter to suggest that Saldana’s casting was a form of blackface.
“Nina” hits theaters on Apr. 22 and is written and directed by Cynthia Mort.
See the Twitter exchange below.
.@zoesaldana Cool story but please take Nina's name out your mouth. For the rest of your life.
— Nina Simone (@NinaSimoneMusic) March 3, 2016