Over the weekend I received angry emails from readers concerned about photos of actress Zoe Saldana wearing a nappy afro wig and dark makeup in her role as the late jazz singer Nina Simone.

The 34-year-old ‘Colombiana’ star was chosen for the part from a list of dark skinned singers and actresses who were more qualified for the part.

Fans of Nina Simone have begun circulating a petition in hopes of garnering enough signatures to present to the filmmakers.

“Playing Nina Simone could be one of the more definitive roles as far as biopics go–it’s not that Saldana a talented actress, but it’s hard to imagine there isn’t another Black actress out there who couldn’t evoke a better Nina,” writes Hellobeautiful.com.

R&B diva Mary J Blige was one of the more qualified hopefuls who prepared for years for her chance at the part.

The film started shooting in Los Angeles last week. What do you think about a light skinned actress playing Nini Simone?


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