Zoe Saldana is finally reflecting back on her choice of playing Nina Simone in the icon’s former unauthorised biopic, released in the year 2016.
The 42 year old actress was under a lot of public scrutiny, after backlash over her selection for the lead role had suggested that she was not ‘black enough’ to play a woman, who’s pretty much become a symbol of black female empowerment right from the civil rights movement.
While a number of people had said that her complexion wasn’t dark enough to play Nina, others had simply pointed out her half-Latin routes or the ‘beautification’ of Nina’s story.
Back when the movie was lined up for release in 2016, the actress had given an interview to Allure, standing by her decision to participate, stating:
“There’s no one way to be black. 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.”
Nearly 4 years later now, in a series of videos uploaded online, Zoe can be heard reflecting back on her choice and expressing regret over the same.
The Avatar actress states that she ‘knows better today’, further adding that that she regrets playing the part now.
“I should have never played Nina. I should have done everything in my power with the leverage that I had 10 years ago—which was a different leverage but it was leverage nonetheless—I should have tried everything in my power to cast a Black woman to play an exceptionally perfect Black woman.”
She further added:
“I thought back then that I had the permission because I was a Black woman…and I am. But, it’s Nina. And Nina had a life and a journey that should be honored to the specific detail.”
She continued:
“We’ve been appropriating ourselves with someone like Nina Simone for a very long time. And I just want her story to be told and I want it to be right because she deserves it. I’m so sorry because I love her music. I know better today and I’m never going to do that again. Never.”
Welp! Better late than never.
Wonder what the estate and family of Nina Simone, who had not only expressed their disappointment over the biopic then but had also openly asked her to “keep Nina’s name out of her mouth”, have to say about this apology.