http://blogs.indiewire.com/shadowandact/india-arie-speaks-out-about-unauthorized-nina-simone-movie

Let me preface this by saying that we certainly aren't trying to beat this thing to death (we've intentionally skipped a lot of the news related to the project, since it was announced, opting to post only those items that reveal more info about it); but I thought this was worth sharing, if only because India.Arie is one of 3 names (the others beingAdepero Oduye and Viola Davis) that have been mentioned quite a lot, here and all over the web, in discussious about who should have played Nina Simone, over Zoe Saldana.

And after being asked about starring in a Nina Simone movie for, as she says, years, Arie finally speaks on the project, and, of course, Zoe Saldana's casting.

In reading her words, I was actually surprised at just how fiery and blunt she is, which you can read below in full (she posted it at NinaSimone.com by the way):

WHAT I FEEL ABOUT THE NINA SIMONE MOVIE:

People have been asking me for weeks, months, years about a Nina Simone movie, when I heard about Zoe Saldana being cast I reserved judgement, you NEVER know what People are MEANT to do.

SO TODAY I saw the images of Zoe Saldana as Nina Simone…

AND I THINK THEY ARE RIDICULOUS!

Yes there should be a movie made, and YES they should have chosen someone who LOOKS like Nina Simone, ESPECIALLY since her RACE played such a PIVOTAL role in WHO, WHAT and WHY, she was.

THAT ASIDE for a second, this just looks WEIRD, it looks like a person in Black(er) face with a fake nose … REALLY?!!!!

DOES NOT THE ONE NINA SIMONE’S LEGACY DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS?

If they were going to pick a person who looks NOTHING like Nina Simone … why not her daughter Simone *shrug* just saying …

As hard as Nina had to fight for what she wanted BECAUSE she was black and looked the way she did … THIS looks like a parody. If it has to be FORCED this hard something’s not right!

I am VERY opinionated about music, I can dissect VOCALS ALL DAY, I don’t KNOW ACTING LIKE THAT! But I trust that through her obvious admiration of Nina, that Zoe Saldana can pull off the portrayal ENERGETICALLY …

But these images … just make me feel … SAD. Not because I want to play Nina Simone but because IT FEELS OUT OF PLACE WITH WHAT NINA SIMONE MEANS IN AN AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORICAL CONTEXT!!!! (yes I yelled just now – I am emotional about OTHER things today, and I’m riding the wave of that, but this IS WHAT I FEEL…)

I have always been OPEN to playing Nina, but I never saw its as my RIGHT! I am clearly Nina Simone’s Physical Heir Apparent, THAT doesn’t mean I SHOULD play her, its been tossed around A LOT, for a LONG TIME. I back down because I feel her legacy deserves better than a FIRST TIME MOVIE ACTRESS, I’m like that about my heroes. If I ever FELT I was truly CALLED to play her, I would. And maybe Zoe Saldana REALLY is BEING CALLED SPIRITUALLY TO PLAY THIS ROLE …

But I DO NOT LIKE these PICTURES. AT ALL.

SEEING Nina Simone changed my life, when I was 17 My cousin and I tried to call her … Whole NOTHER story ….

I will END this by saying I think VIOLA DAVIS should be playing Nina Simone.

Although there have been actors who have played real life people on screen that looked nothing like them, (acclaimed actor Jeffrey Wright has played both Martin Luther King, Jr. and Muddy Waters) I have to say that Zoe looked ridiculous as well when I saw the pics. My issue isn't so much that she doesn't look like Nina Simone, but that, in my opinion, Zoe Saldana is a weak actress.

missfee said:

Although there have been actors who have played real life people on screen that looked nothing like them, (acclaimed actor Jeffrey Wright has played both Martin Luther King, Jr. and Muddy Waters) I have to say that Zoe looked ridiculous as well when I saw the pics. My issue isn't so much that she doesn't look like Nina Simone, but that, in my opinion, Zoe Saldana is a weak actress.

Yes and yes.

i agree with india arie and repeat. imo kimberley elise would have been so much better and she has better acting chops, dramatic skills as well as history behind the camera.

via: filmography

set it off 1996

beloved 1998

diary of a mad black woman 2005

(just to name a few - see :http://en.wikipedia.org/w...erly_Elise)

and she started in television in 1996

and has more than 14 tv roles to her

credit

kimberley elise nina simone

do you think the person(s) in charge of casting even considered casting a person closer to nina simon's complexion and facial features?

Zoe Saldana as Nina Simone Emerge

imo the resemblense is not there on any given sunday, monday, tuesday or etc. zoe looks like a recovering accident victim in the 2nd set of pix made up as nina simone.

Kimberley Elise would have been perfect! She's such an underrated actress...

WOW

That picture is ridiculous......Kim and Viola would bring the emotion for sure and most definately would get the people out. This controversy is worse than the idea of Mary J playing her, I thought I would have a heart attack when I heard that news. What were they thinking for real with this????? Kimberly can get her "cry on" so well it's bone chilling. I'm not too familiar with Nina Simone at all, but just her singing voice tells me she had a certain conviction to her self and others in her time. I"m not banking on Zoe pulling it off.

[img:$uid]http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt67/Logic1914/stephanie_blue.jpg[/img:$uid]

free2bfreeda said:

Zoe Saldana as Nina Simone Emerge

imo the resemblense is not there on any given sunday, monday, tuesday or etc. zoe looks like a recovering accident victim in the 2nd set of pix made up as nina simone.

what in THEE hell?

Those hollywood moron need to stop the hypocrisy... That makeup on Saldana is disgustingly ugly... I mean it looks like a "blackface" show character!! I don't even think Nina on crack would have look as bad as this!

Why chosing a light skinned woman in the firts place? Nina Simone was an insecure woman because of her physical features, it influnced her music, political views, relations with men, america, the show business, africa... Abd chosing a afro-hispanic light skinned woman to portray her is simply insulting to the memory of such a talented artis as Nina Simone. India Arie could have been a good choice as well.

man, i LOVE India Arie. so honest, upologetic and articulate in expressing her feelings. this casting will backfire!

FrenchGuy said:

Those hollywood moron need to stop the hypocrisy... That makeup on Saldana is disgustingly ugly... I mean it looks like a "blackface" show character!! I don't even think Nina on crack would have look as bad as this!

Why chosing a light skinned woman in the firts place? Nina Simone was an insecure woman because of her physical features, it influnced her music, political views, relations with men, america, the show business, africa... Abd chosing a afro-hispanic light skinned woman to portray her is simply insulting to the memory of such a talented artis as Nina Simone. India Arie could have been a good choice as well.

I'm not sure about India Arie, simply because she's not an actor. There's much more to acting than looking the part, it's actually quite difficult to do well. People seem to think that musicians should play musicians if they bear a passing resemblance, because, unlike mere actors, "they can sing." But, any portrayals of musical performances are going to be lip-syched, not sung live, so musical chops are completely secondary to acting ability.

I'm not saying that there are not "double threats" - great musicians who are also great actors and vise versa, and being a musician could obviously help in filiming portrayals of musical performances - how to stand, how to mimick guitar, piano or other instrument playing, etc. But, from what I know, India Arie isn't an elite actress. I'm sure she'd do "fine", but don't we want more than "fine"?

am I the only one who thinks that Mary J.Blige was perfect for this role?

SoulAlive said:

am I the only one who thinks that Mary J.Blige was perfect for this role?

Yes, you are.

Ottensen said:

free2bfreeda said:

Zoe Saldana as Nina Simone Emerge

imo the resemblense is not there on any given sunday, monday, tuesday or etc. zoe looks like a recovering accident victim in the 2nd set of pix made up as nina simone.

what in THEE hell?

? as in ? "Zoe is not even a close re semblance"

Since when is Zoe light skinned?

SoulAlive said:

am I the only one who thinks that Mary J.Blige was perfect for this role?

Was she not originally casted for this? I was surprised to see Zoe on the set at all.

I have read nothing but negative feedback on how she looks in that makeup.

scriptgirl said:

Since when is Zoe light skinned?

compaired to nina simone's skin tone, zoe saldana is way light skinned.

also, india arie would be a good choice, especially in looking more like nina simone. plus she can sing.

india Arie Nina Simone

[Edited 11/9/12 13:59pm]

free2bfreeda said:

scriptgirl said:

Since when is Zoe light skinned?

compaired to nina simone's skin tone, zoe saldana is way light skinned.

also, india arie would be a good choice, especially in looking more like nina simone. plus she can sing.

india Arie Nina Simone

[Edited 11/9/12 13:59pm]

^ THIS. Thank you!

Cinny said:

SoulAlive said:

am I the only one who thinks that Mary J.Blige was perfect for this role?

Was she not originally casted for this?

Yeah,she was their first choice Not sure why she walked away from it

Lauryn Hill also would have been perfect for this role

SoulAlive said:

Cinny said:

Was she not originally casted for this?

Yeah,she was their first choice Not sure why she walked away from it

IMO Mary can't act a lick.

missfee said:

SoulAlive said:

Yeah,she was their first choice Not sure why she walked away from it

IMO Mary can't act a lick.

Viola Davis OR India.Arie!!!!!!

They've got Zoe in Blackface!!!!!

SMH!!!!

^ That was my first thought on who should play Nina: Viola!

SoulAlive said:

Lauryn Hill also would have been perfect for this role

maybe lauryn hill, however lauren is haitian and african american. not to push her heritage aside but, it just seems that india would fit the role better.

imo india arie would totally embody nina simone in that both her parents are the u.s. so i feel the verbal intonations india grew up learning and just the rhythms of her life growing up would expose her to the ups and downs, the positives and negatives of life as a child of two african american parents.

i know i said kimberley elise first, however that was before i really checked out the closer resemblance to nina simone than that of kimberley.

and

inda a. my choice nina simone lauryn h.

lauryn hill's going through so much right now until i wonder if she could carry the role.

her face shows the current pain and stress she's going through. i do hope she will be okay.

I think Zoe is a decent actress but i also believe that she's the wrong fit for this particular movie. Both in physical appearance and from a acting standpoint.

SoulAlive said:

am I the only one who thinks that Mary J.Blige was perfect for this role?

At least she would have been a better choice than Zoe Saldana. She looks awful in that makeup and her acting skills may only be marginally better than Mary's

Regina King would have been my choice but these days casting people only consider name recognition/box office draw. Making a quality film with appropriate casting is an afterthought.

Hell, I'm surprised they didn't try to cast Beyonce.

free2bfreeda said:

Zoe Saldana as Nina Simone Emerge

imo the resemblense is not there on any given sunday, monday, tuesday or etc. zoe looks like a recovering accident victim in the 2nd set of pix made up as nina simone.

errant said:

India Arie is in desperate need of press.

uh, NO she isn't. she merely spoke the truth. this isn't getting any traction in mainstream press anyway. nor will the movie have any "crossover" appeal when it comes out. if THIS is an example of media hungry celebrities whoring, i'll take it anyday over the times when its the OBVIOUS motive.