Two days ago, the official trailer for the movie "Nina" was released, rekindling the whole Zoe Saldana/Nina Simone controversy. What exactly is the problem with Zoe Saldana playing Nina Simone? Is she really in black-face? Should dark-skinned African-Americans be played by those who are the same color as them and vice-versa? If that is the case, should we condemn the casting of Idris Elba as Nelson Mandela? What is the heart of the issue, here, and why is the Internet erupting with loathing for the Star Trek actress?
At its heart, the issue isn’t with Zoe Saldana. Whether or not she’s a good actress is up to your interpretation. Is it blackface? I may be in the minority when I say no. I don’t think Zoe Saldana putting on makeup several shades darker than her skin is blackface and while her prostethic nose may be problematic, this can be overlooked. Admittedly, it looks like a really bad makeup job but that’s beside the point.
The biopic is not your typical situation. Nina Simone’s race and skin color effected every facet of her life. She struggled because of her features, because of the darkness of her skin. Nina Simone wasn’t just viewed as black, she was viewed as “too black." It prevented her from acquiring the career in classical music that she wanted. Then, she was told she wouldn’t be successful as a singer, because she was too dark, her lips and nose too wide, her body too curvy. Nina Simone rejected all of those assertions and she made it her life’s work and mission to celebrate her blackness and fight both racism and colorism.
Thus, the outcries against this casting in particular (because let’s face it, there’s always an issue with casting to fans. Jennifer Lopez as Selena comes to mind) are a little different. These outcries are the cries of people who know that colorism has been a pervasive aspect in the black community and communities world-wide. These are the cries that wonder where representation is for darker black individuals in the media.
This is not simply the product of sensitive black people perpetuating racial stereotypes. This is not about whether or not Zoe Saldana is “black enough." Zoe Saldana is black. I won’t argue against that. But, black people are not all the same. Black women are not all the same. Black people come in all different types of shades and shapes. Zoe Saldana, when she chooses to identify as such, comes in one kind. Nina Simone’s shape and shade is one that is not usually represented in the media. It is ironic that in a biopic about the woman who fought against discrimination against race and color, about not fitting into the standard of beauty, is being portrayed by a woman who is closer to the accepted standard of beauty.
In some regard, I know this is marketing. You choose the actress that everyone knows so that more people see the movie. I get that. But, if making money was the only intent of the people involved in this project, they could have done something else. There are equally, if not more so, talented actresses who could have played the role.
