Zoe Saldana hits back at critics of Nina Simone casting
The actress found herself under fire when she was cast as the legendary singer
StarTrek and Guardians of The Galaxy actress Zoe Saldana has hit back at critics who weren’t too happy when she was cast as Nina Simone in the singer’s biopic.
Saldana, who is of Latino-African descent, had to wear prosthetics and skin darkening make-up in order to play the legendary soul singer and some people – including the late singer’s estate – were not impressed.
"There's no one way to be black,” Saldana fired back when discussing the controversy with Allure.
"I'm black the way I know how to be. You have no idea who I am. I am black. I'm raising black men. Don't you ever think you can look at me and address me with such disdain," she continued.
"The fact that we're talking about her, that Nina Simone is trending? We f***ing won. For so many years, nobody knew who the f*** she was. She is essential to our American history. As a woman first, and only then as everything else."
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And she also had some pretty sharp words for those who criticised the prosthetics she wore.
"I never saw her as unattractive. Nina looks like half my family," she said. "But if you think the [prosthetic] nose I wore was unattractive, then maybe you need to ask yourself, What do you consider beautiful? Do you consider a thinner nose beautiful, so the wider you get, the more insulted you become?"
