Zoe Saldana’s Nina Simone trailer reignites Hollywood light-washing controversy

The upcoming biopic about soul singing legend Nina Simone, starring Zoe Saldana, sparked a fresh round of criticism after the trailer and poster for “Nina” were unveiled Wednesday. Images showing Saldana wearing a prosthetic nose and dark face makeup have left Simone’s family, friends and some fans disappointed in and angry about the film’s casting choice.

Hopefully people begin to understand this is painful. Gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, nauseating, soul-crushing.

The Simone estate on Twitter

Saldana has faced criticism since news surfaced in 2012 that she would replace Mary J. Blige — who had to drop out because of scheduling conflicts — and play the High Priestess of Soul. Saldana is of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent, and many believe the role should have gone to an African-American woman — or at least a woman with a darker skin tone and features that more closely resemble Simone’s.

The most important thing is that creativity or quality of performance should never be judged on the basis of color, or ethnicity, or physical likeness.

Robert L. Johnson, founder and chairman of the studio releasing “Nina”

Nina Simone