Nina
The recent controversy over RLJ Entertainment’s film “NINA”, about the legendary Nina Simone has been one of contentious debate ever since it was announced that actress Zoe Saldana would be cast in the lead role. Until the trailer was released, there was mere speculation as to whether she could pull this part off in a genuinely authentic fashion. After seeing her in the makeup and prosthetics, I must admit it is a bit jarring to watch. Hopefully, once the audience can accept Saldana, and get into the plot of the film, the physicality of the actress herself will become secondary. That is in fact, the job of a good actor/actress…to make us forget about them, and focus on the plot, acting, and quality of the film.
While Simone’s daughter has been quoted as saying she takes issue with the choice of Saldana portraying her mother, she also criticizes personal vilification of the actress for wearing dark makeup and a prosthetic nose to play her. Other actresses like Queen Latifah and Paula Patton have come to the defense of Saldana, saying “I think Zoe is a great actress, so I am looking forward to it. She is of African descent –I don’t see why she shouldn’t play the role. I just want to see it. Get rid of the hype and let’s go watch a movie”.
While I can see both sides of the argument, I must admit I’m torn by this one. The point is not that Saldana’s performance is being judged based solely on color, but instead the choice of hiring her for the role, then making a conscious decision to darken her skin with makeup and the use of prosthetics. Did anyone stop to think that this could be in direct opposition to Nina Simone herself, and the essence of who she was and what she ultimately stood for? I can’t help but think the producers and director of this film saw this coming when they cast Saldana in the role. However, we all know that in Hollywood, controversy has a tendency to sell tickets. After all, isn’t that the goal? That is the primary reason we have white actors portraying Hebrews and Egyptians in movies like “Gods of Egypt”. This is nothing new, but with the recent diversity issues plaguing Hollywood, perhaps it’s time to take a step back and re-evaluate things a bit. When it comes to “NINA”, well we’ll see if the means justifies the end, or if the end justifies the means in this case. Stay tuned.
Darryl Rembert
