Nina Simone, Zoe Saldana, and Colorism | A Biopic Gone Wrong

[@AdaOnDemand]

Hey ya'll!! Hope you like this video, don't forget to let me know what you think!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@KnijMagz]

I think you should do the colorism in Hollywood and better yet compare and contrast how "black films" cast black men vs black women. I would say in white media, as far as desirable representation of "Black" women, lighter skinned, multiracial, or mixed women are used. In black media its more light skinned, brown skinned women (with smaller/ more ambiguous features), and some "blacker looking" mixed women e.g. Melyssa Ford the Video Vixen. However, for black men. I didn't really see men that looked more like me forinstance. I have light brown skin with a yellow undertone, smaller features, and longer 4b/4a hair, yet i am not mixed. I found that positive representation for black men would either have a undeniable Dark skinned black man or a brown skinned man with clearer "black features". Neither white nor black media vast mixed or multiracial men to play black characters. However, i would live to se men that appear more like me as well.

[@jdboov6739]

I totally agree with your point on white-washing. However, do you criticize the numerous examples of race-swapping of white characters???

[@susiebear3316]

Zoe Saldana said that she didn't identify as a BW period! So, why is she even speaking on "there's no one way to be black"? My number 1 issue with mixed race bigots. They're b whenever it's convenient.

[@dylandozier7239]

Hollywood's not here to make things believable they are selling fantasy and the sad fact such a strong beautiful dedicated woman got disrespected because of money selfishness and and hate for black women in general

[@opt4raf859]

Write the book on colorism in Hollywood. Carry on the push to further expose it, and please, please deepen your research and add not only further insights but also the weight of your own disavowal of it and clues to dismantle it. Thanks.

[@tinymxnticore]

If Zoe's appearance didn't matter they wouldn't have needed to change it with blackface. There's no one way to be black, but there IS only one Nina Simone.✨

[@bellabukuru]

Voilà! You’re right!

[@JulianSteve]

You’re right and once again, Nina Simone is a dark skin Black woman. This means a DARK SKIN BLACK WOMAN MUST PORTRAY HER‼️She’s a real person, not a fictional character✨

[@aprilrae6551]

What about Malcolm X? He was a light skinned black man, portrayed by Denzel Washington, brown skinned black guy. This didn't seem to bother anyone. I feel like Zoe Saldano was being targeted because she is a woman. It seems very shallow to me.

[@leilanidru7506]

@@aprilrae6551 because Hollywood, for the most part, ALWAYS knows what a dark skin black man looks like. If you knew anything about colorism, you know the very obvious ways it intersects with gender. Nina even said herself “if I were a boy, it wouldn’t matter so much”, meaning her features wouldn’t matter as much. Dark skin is seen as masculine. Hence, dark skin black men are fetishized and are seen as the pinnacle of hypermasculinity, while black women are constantly masculinized and having their femininity degraded and mocked; a la Michelle Obama and Megan the stallion for example. Nobody’s targeting her because she’s a woman, she was put in f*cking black face for god sake....while normani and viola Davis were standing *right there* . nobody is targeting her coz she’s a woman, we’re just tired of this very blatant and very constant bull shlt. Enough already, the industry needs to get equal representation for dark skin black women instead of ALMOST ALWAYS picking the acceptable and marketable version of a black girl as the main character (Light skinned and or mixed). We’re tired 😴

[@leilanidru7506]

@@aprilrae6551 also if anything, your example shows black men have the opposite problem.....which they do. Dark skinned black men have ample representation for their image. Because in our culture women bare the brunt of colorism. Edit: also I’m very sorry my above comment was condescending and snarky, I stand by everything I said but my tone could’ve been different. This is a very personal issue to me as well as a global, centuries old problem, so I get defensive and impatient with people who I feel undermine that problem. I’m sorry.

[@wandeesthoughts]

Even Simone Biles wanted Zendeya to play her in a biopic which doesn't even make sense coz Zendeya is tall and biracial

[@imanmarie8764]

That’s so ridiculous 😒😒

[@tinymxnticore]

Zendaya could play Aly Raisman though

[@tinymxnticore]

@4Freedom4All I know, it was a joke about inappropriate casting 🤦‍♂️

[@orezi1328]

@4Freedom4All lol typing paper imma use that

[@missNCW]

@4Freedom4All well it's not the same. And white people aren't really stereotyped let alone negatively. So yh if it happens than it's the exception, not so much 'you can't anymore than black people' it's not as offensive so...

[@Gracers92]

Im confused why viola davis or angela basset werent even considered for this role. They are both incredibly talented black women in hollywood and would fit the darker skin tone and more mature age range better to portray nina simone, and probably would have made nina simones family proud in their portrayal. And in hollywood terms are both "bankable" actresses. But no! Instead of casting an actress that would have been perfect for the role, they decide black face is a better option?? Wtf?!

[@morganjames8601]

@4Freedom4All For this particular movie though, Nina is in her 60s, so Viola Davis or Angela Basset would've been great! I also think if they did a movie on a younger Nina, Michaela Coel would be PERFECT

[@princesscarolyn5716]

Thank you for addressing colorism! I hate it when people pretend or are genuinely convinced that it doesn’t exist or that light skinned people experience it as well. Hollywood needs to hire more dark skinned women especially under 30 years old because there’s such a clear lack of representation of us. I also hate that White adjacent, biracial, or light skinned women are always selected to portray the Black experience. Dark skinned women deserve our stories to be told by women who look like us.

[@nataliecampbell675]

Yup the most annoying part was when this topic was trending on Twitter some dark skinned celebrities said that they never experience it “so it doesn’t exist” adding fuel to the fire. Only later they talked about it when it benefits them 🤦🏿‍♀️

[@princesscarolyn5716]

@@nataliecampbell675 oop

[@AdaOnDemand]

Thank you so much for watching and commenting as always Amber!!! You said it excellently but I also want to focus on the "under 30" part, because this is so true. Dark-skinned female actresses often have to be older than 30 so that they can start playing mother roles or roles that cannot be the love interest or marketable to younger audiences. I read this article that challenged people to think of three dark-skinned actresses, who count as A-List and are under 30 years old, and no one could really name anyone besides Letitia Wright. 😭 The lack of representation is truly insane.

[@princesscarolyn5716]

@@AdaOnDemand I love your content 💕

[@purpleflows5680]

@4Freedom4All “Something interesting has happened with me and Yara and Zendaya - there is a level of accessibility of being biracial that has afforded us attention in a way that I don’t think would have been afforded to us otherwise,” she told Variety. “Me and Yara and Zendaya are perceived in the same way, I guess, because we are lighter-skinned black girls and we fill this interesting place of being accessible to Hollywood and accessible to white people in a way that darker-skinned girls are not afforded the same privilege.” - Amanda Stenberg Here, she refers to herself as biracial and the later as a light-skinned black girl, which are not the same so 🤷🏾‍♀️

[@jooooaaaannnn_]

Viola Davis not being cast as Nina Simone is the BIGGEST missed opportunity

[@tedcharleceus9753]

Also when she played in ma rainys black bottom

[@YourMoonJoy]

I think it needs to Michalea Coel she looks so much like her and is a great actress.

[@makaylalashe4730]

THATS WHAT I WAS THINKING!

[@danicleckley5404]

I couldn't agree more.

[@rosathais]

@@YourMoonJoy I thought of Michaela as well for a younger Nina

[@Mango-Moods]

Please talk more on this! The fact the Nina Simone wouldn’t be considered bankable for her own damn movie is such an important point. I’m so sick of the excuse that it’s still a black person so it’s fine. It WOULD be fine if society didn’t treat darker skinned women differently to begin with. But since it does, Zoe Saldana being cast for a role that should’ve been a dark skinned woman is a major issue

[@AdaOnDemand]

I think you bring up such a great point that I actually didn't address in the video! In an ideal world black women of all shades could be represented by any shade of black woman, but unfortunately since darker-skinned women are not treated equally especially in Hollywood, falling into the same pattern of going to any lengths to cast a lighter-skinned actress for this role was especially hurtful to Nina's memory and struggle 😭 will definitely make another video on colorism in Hollywood in the future!! Thanks so much for watching and commenting!! ❤️

[@Mango-Moods]

@@AdaOnDemand Thank you for talking about these issues to begin with. All love ❤️

[@randomgirl2282]

I completely forgot about this movie! I’m still surprised it all happened! Like, they really painted her skin and gave a prosthetic nose. . 🤢 How?

[@AdaOnDemand]

It's honestly hard to even understand why they thought that would go over well with anybody 😂😂😂

[@mjm3091]

I mean it does happen in many movies based on real people. Considering how Simone's features where kinda important thing that made people reject her - it was reasonable to make the actress look as similar to her as possible. It's always good when actor looks as similar as possible to the "base material". Like you would expect a person playing in documentary about Barbra Streisand to have a big nose as well. If they did nothing to the actress - wouldn't it disrespect memory of Nina even more? Like I think it was better to actually apply those features on her - to show that Nina wasn't some "Hollywood model" looking woman, but looked far from the twisted beauty standards from back then (or now)? It makes the message more clear, especially if makeup was done well, that people wouldn't even recognise that it is makeup or prosthetics - but keeping it respectful and close to actual features of Nina (back to example of Streisand - good makeup would be some 3d printed actual nose of Barbra molded to actress face, bad makeup sould be giving her witch/toucan nose). Obviously - all of what I'm saying is aside the fact that they clearly miscasted. Like if the main message was a history lesson about a person who got rejected from industry because of their looks being too different - they should have clearly picked someone who isn't treated properly for the same reasons nowadays. Type casting or not - that would be good nod to the past and the fight people like Nina Simone had fought. Like in my eyes the midcasting is the real problem here, not the characterisation. Like imagine, if they didn't change the look. That would be even more of a "whitewash" that it ended up being.

[@aaliyahfeacher5427]

@@mjm3091 You missed the point. Of course the actor is supposed to look as much like the character they’re portraying as possible, so with that same logic, why not just hire a dark skinned black woman with Nina’s features instead of breaking your back to make a light skinned biracial woman with a tiny nose look like her instead? It makes no sense.

[@mjm3091]

@@aaliyahfeacher5427 maybe hiring an actress with more suitable looks and good enough acting skills that would like to work on the project was more effort than hiring a makeup artist.

[@Cloverfr]

@@mjm3091 Yeah... no.

[@drdarian]

I honestly didn’t know this movie even existed. As soon as I saw the still of Zoe as Nina, I audibly went “Oh No!”

[@JulianSteve]

I knew of the movies existence around 2019-20. When I saw the blackface and nose “implant,” I lost it🤦🏾‍♂️💯

[@chteretreeart]

I know right

[@leonardpollard5722]

I’m an average white dude who’s a big Nina Simone fan. I didn’t know the movie existed and was shocked when you said that it had a 2%. She was a genius with a fascinating life. I looked it up, and the director and screenwriter. She’s a white D-grade television director. The narrative of Nina Simone, one of the best musicians of her century (at least) was relegated to some- low-grade white writer/director who wasn’t even fit to write an episode of the most mediocre Marvel show was given the helm on a Nina Simone movie. My god. Seems like the terrible casting was only one of the crimes of the director

[@sseraphim2818]

Not just terrible casting.... whitewashed casting

[@a.d.w8385]

Damn. You went in.

[@rosalynbeatty8310]

Appreciate your opinion!

[@rosalynbeatty8310]

@@sseraphim2818 She made a big mistake in judgement.

[@nataliecampbell675]

Hollywood didn’t have a problem casting light skin actresses for dark skin character 😑

[@nataliecampbell675]

Zoe did this movie cuss she thought it would be nominated for an Oscar

[@AdaOnDemand]

I agree honestly, I think the premise of this movie had Oscar potential, and I don't know how an actress can in good faith accept a role when the subject's own family objects (if not for greed you know). Anyway, thank you for watching and commenting!!

[@AdaOnDemand]

Hi! So shade ranges are definitely subjective, but a lot of people class Zoe Saldana as a light-skinned actress. Not as light as, say, Zendaya, but not by any stretch of the word "very dark", in my opinion. But it's all relative tbh!

[@kiatorrette5631]

@Promise You we aren't looking at the same woman apparently

[@thisnigerianlovessuya]

@Promise You A very dark green

[@MrManMuff]

I'm going to have to agree on this one, Ms. Simone was caricaturized and shamed for being "too black", but she rose to stardom despite it, because of her immense talent. You are correct when you say that she would have been a superstar if she had just been "prettier". So casting Zoey Saldana to play her does seem like a slap in the face. I feel like in this instance they should have cast an unknown actress who shared Ms. Simone's look. Frankly, try listening to "Feeling Good" and tell me that woman isn't beautiful.

[@MrManMuff]

I'm a white guy, so representation isn't an issue for me. I generally tend to gloss over videos like yours (nothing personal,but there's people out there getting hit in the crotch with no one to see) But watching your video made me think, which is something I rarely do, you put together a concise, rational point that I would normally not have given any thought to. Excellent work, thanks, and I hope you continue to grow.

[@AdaOnDemand]

Hi!! Thank you so much for giving this video a shot, I really appreciate you taking the time to watch! ❤️❤️❤️

[@sseraphim2818]

And if she was irate about colorism? Would she still be rational?

[@MrManMuff]

@@sseraphim2818 sure, you can be angry and still be rational

[@Anna133199]

@@MrManMuff 😂😂😂 You rarely think and normally prefer videos of men getting hit in the crotch over watching something like this? Well.. that's very honest of you. Thanks for that. I hope you'll continue to think about stuff.

[@sseraphim2818]

@@MrManMuff What a luxury to dictate how others react to the products of white supremacy

[@bug_ho]

they could’ve cast our queen Viola Davis, or if they wanted to try out a new actress, Danai Gurira or, yknow, AN ACTUAL DARKSKINNED ACTRESS WHO CAN CAPTURE THE ESSENCE OF NINA?!?!?! wtf

[@CM-yz3ze]

Danai would have been wonderful!

[@lujorom9172]

Oh god yes Danai Gurira is forgotten wayyy too much, when she is such a good actress and actually would’ve fit the part quite well. She needs to be talked about more!

[@LuanaMaria22]

How, in a world where Michaela Coel exists, was Zoe Saldana cast for this roll?! 🙄

[@therealfinnaspring8585]

Yesssss thats what i was saying!!! Coel is an amazing actress and beautiful to boot and dark skinned with features similar to Nina like what? Like how? Did they just not know about her when this was being casted in like 2013 or whenever they started casting?? And damn does she look AMAZING with a shaved head those cheek bones gonna poke my eye out l

[@emerycorner]

The fact they casted Zoe, but then went through the process of darkening her skin and changing her facial features-

[@angelinagomez9465]

This is late but As a Dominican woman, I’m really disappointed in Zoe. She was one of the only Dominican representation who I had to look up to as Dominicans aren’t as widely represented as other Latinx countries. Seeing her taking part of this with no problem is really sad

[@Risgolden]

SAME! As a Puerto Rican I’m upset that one of the few representations I have chose to take an opportunity away from a dark skinned black woman

[@Sunny_losangelis]

Yes! Hella Disappointing

[@ulisesmontalvo9606]

True but the money tho

[@luv_cat6]

@@ulisesmontalvo9606 no

[@nickiiscoming1455]

@@JmeJim Zoe is biracial NOT a BLACK WOMEN

[@bluejay5731]

Nina Simone was a brilliant person and musician. Thank you for the interesting video!

[@AdaOnDemand]

She truly was!!! I hope they do her justice in another biopic down the line!! Thank you so much for watching and commenting ❤️❤️❤️

[@josephcarolan5527]

@shirbert yes she was and I wish more people acknowledged this though she herself was abused by her husband and lost many opportunities due to racism, her abuse of her daughter and her rudeness to her staff and audiences at her shows are still inexcusable.

[@tesssavanessa2312]

I’m lightskin/ mixed with an African dad and a German white mother and here in Germany I don’t see any kind of black ppl in the media but every time I watch American movies most of the black stars are lightskin and even paler then me. I always thought that’s how most ppl in the U.S. look like until I did an exchange there. I’m so invested in fighting colorism because I’m apart of the black community but also because my cousins and my little sister is darkskin and I hate seeing her disrespected like this. So this goes out to my darkskin sisters I love you guys so much and you are truly beautiful your skin tone is elegant, rich and beautiful!!! ❤️❤️

[@ana-gj7jy]

the point you make about non-americans thinking that all black ppl from the u.s are light-skinned is very interesting. it got me thinking, because, as a white person, i had never really considered that. i'm brazilian, and most of our population is black, and often dark-skinned. but when consuming american media, most of what we see are light-skinned people. i have seen people here say that in the u.s., people are "less" black than in brazil, which is totally a result of the media we receive, and not an accurate statement. your channel is amazing, hope you continue to grow 💕

[@MEVP4499]

Where in Brazil are you from? Because here in my city in Northwestern São Paulo, we think the exact opposite. Most people here are either white or Japanese, and most black people here are light skinned. It is really rare to see a dark skinned person around here, and when we do we always think "wow, that person doesn't even look Brazilian, they look American!" (We also think that about extremely white people, though). Brazil is a lot more mixed than the US, because interracial marriages were never illegal here, unlike in the US, so most black people in the US are dark skinned, and most black people in Brazil are light skinned, except in the Northeast and large cities, like São Paulo and Rio and similar places!

[@dhsf5937]

Eu não acredito que maior parte das pessoas brasileiras são de pele escura.

[@KSHvoiceactingofficial]

This is kind of how I feel about the 1997 Selena movie. Selena Quintanilla was part Cherokee and part Indigenous Mexican and looked very indigenous. Jennifer Lopez is definitely more European looking. In the remake they also cast someone who was more European looking as well.

[@bernyrodriguez8687]

If you think that interpretation is wrong (I will not deny it) you should watch the Selena series on Netfilx, they literally put a white woman to play the role

[@maffieduran]

JLo is mestiza tho

[@yonnylayna9768]

@@JmeJim Yep but she had Selena's butty 👌

[@rosalynbeatty8310]

@@maffieduran J Lo's grandma was Afro Latina.J Lo's hair is naturally curly & dark. But she uses bronzer to look more exotic or ethnic.

[@Mickeii617]

I think the thing I also didn't like was Zoe late ass apology. It took her years to even say anything. I remember watch a video where she basically said "I do what I want" TBH I feel like the only reason why she even did it was because it was messing up her future bag. She wants that movie to be hidden. 🤣🤣

[@SHANELLEBUTLER2011]

Also Zoe emphasizes the fact that she’s explicitly Latina( until recently) there are many interviews where Zoe makes that distinction. Not an issue, until you realize she made a career early on occupying many black female roles

[@Yinskiiii]

That’s not true she’s explicitly identified as Black time and time again, even in a DR magazine, in the country where anti blackness is rampant.

[@irisribeiro9369]

but u can be latina AND black

[@yonnylayna9768]

Latina it's Not a race.

[@uranus2849]

You can be black and Latina. Latina is not a race.

[@Tori-qu7ku]

I randomly had your life of derek video recommended to me and immediately subscribed!!! This is the commentary I need!

[@melaniep6943]

Literally exactly the same

[@BeautyforAshes__]

Me too 👀 YT recommends actually being useful for once 😂

[@Tori-qu7ku]

@@BeautyforAshes__ for real usually the algorithm is on some other shit

[@Asheematay]

Literally!!!

[@phedisolatakgomo6964]

That’s true, growing up, growing up I didn’t know a lot of darkskin Americans. I mean, I was so excited when skai started playing zuri on Disney😭, plus she had type 4 hair

[@treyschofield5935]

You’re videos are always so high quality, you really deserve more subscribers

[@AdaOnDemand]

Thank you so so much!! Really glad you liked my content so far!! 🥰🥰🥰

[@somebraveapollo8211]

I never knew this existed. My day is ruined.

[@AdaOnDemand]

😭😭😭 I really really hope they're working on another, better biopic to do Nina's memory justice!!

[@TheLalaiscool]

im definitely looking forward to the video on colourism in hollywood! this was so well explained (but when do you ever miss the mark??? lmao) the tyrion analogy was such a good counterargument THANK YOU!!! love your videos

[@AdaOnDemand]

Thank you so much queen!!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@awesomeallyse]

It kind of annoys me when we try to have conversations about colorism and then a lot of times it is turned into a misrepresentation of the conversation as "you're not black enough" thus making normally light skin women the new victims of the conversation being attacked by "angry bitter dark skins" which gives them the freedom to ignore the valid grievances that dark skin women often have. People think that acknowledging privilege is somehow denouncing their character or their experience or whatever when in reality all we are asking is that you acknowledge it so that we can correct it. If a problem is being ignored how will it ever be solved?

[@DVWNatSecResearcher]

This is only the second video I have watched on your channel, and like the first video it was quite edifying. My research includes looking at narratives that construct identities. In that light, yes, I would like to see a video on colorism in Hollywood.

[@AdaOnDemand]

Thank you so much!! I'm so happy you've enjoyed some of my content, will definitely be following up soon with a longer/more in-depth video on colorism in Hollywood!! ❤️

[@kellyhannah2448]

i like how you really get your facts straight in these videos as well as throwing your opinion in there, i feel like i actually learn something from your videos. thank you!

[@AdaOnDemand]

Thank you so much for taking the time to watch and comment!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@leopardseal7782]

it's so sad to see how far we've come in certain areas of representation, yet also how we've regressed. nina simone was a successful, dark-skinned woman who helped redefine beauty standards and proudly represented her afrocentric features. the casting did her legacy such a disservice by caving into the same fears that she fought against. she pioneered the way for representation of so many other poc. it reminds me of another recent incident in 2016 where hollywood disrespected the legacy of bruce lee, who fought to be seen as a bankable asian actor, by casting a white man to be the main character in lee's own biopic

[@therealfinnaspring8585]

Say what? Your kidding what movie? I remember his son starred in a biopic about him years ago i can't believe they would make another with a white guy....

[@leopardseal7782]

@@therealfinnaspring8585 It's called Birth of the Dragon cuz ofc it's only relatable if you tell a POC's story through a white lens

[@leopardseal7782]

@@therealfinnaspring8585 ugh and don't even get me started on the whole "love story" about the white man rescuing a chinese woman from the seedy chinese underworld 🙄🙄🙄

[@sakurazukamorisubaru]

@@leopardseal7782 how is Philip Ng white? I couldn't find any pictures of his parents. The only info is that they migrated from Hong Kong to America.

[@leopardseal7782]

@@sakurazukamorisubaru Philip Ng played Bruce Lee in the movie, but the main character in the film was actually a guy named Steve McKee, a fictional white man

[@rfrolicarts]

It would be cool if they made a film adaptation of the theatrical play "Four Women", which directly addresses the colorism that impacted Nina Simone's life.

[@katiedillard8218]

This was highly educational for me. Although I could see both sides in the beginning and I too would have said, “Is it that Zoey isnt black enough? How is that fair?” I was blown away by the quote at the end which really drives the point home about if young Nina could play herself she still wouldn’t be cast in her own biopic.... thank you for always gently educating us, examining all sides fairly and yet standing your ground. Love this channel.

[@a.mejia24]

"How can you be an artist and not reflect the times?" -Nina Simone

[@a.mejia24]

Zoe KNEW what she was doing was wrong and did it anyways. No other words.

[@BC-bt7hu]

You are right. From my personal experience, for a long time I thought African-American people were not as black because of the movies or TV shows I was watching.

[@jtmm5957]

Same here as someone from Asia

[@therealfinnaspring8585]

Michaela Cole shoulda played Nina Simone if we going on looks and acting prowess. Idk if she can sing but they coulda voiced over for that. Michaela is beautiful and a great actress and first time i saw her she already reminded me of Nina.

[@twoteencarat5333]

i thought it was just bad casting but they darkened her skin and gave her fake features?! 😟

[@isa3515]

Also, can we please talk about how Latinx women are also whitewashed in the industry? Looveee Shaki but did someone else notice her skin has drastically gotten lighter?

[@LindseyNoelani]

That’s true. We need more morenas. But as a Latina we TAN. I’m not as dark as I was in high school. I use to use a light medium foundation and now as an adult I work from home and don’t go out in the sun without proper protection, I’m now super pale. (My foundation is in the one range now with pink undertones ) I haven’t lightened my skin I just don’t go outside and tan. As Latinos we all vary genetically. My second cousins are a lot more indigenous than I am but we’re still family. We need more positive representation for Morenas.

[@CinnamonCari]

Shakira is white. I say this as a latina living in Latin America who is read as white. Shakira is white and has middle eastern roots (Lebanese, I think)

[@LindseyNoelani]

@@CinnamonCari I’m seen as “white” I’m still Latina that doesn’t mean anything I’m genetically mostly Spanish and European but I’m not purebred so no I’m not white. I’m Latina.

[@CinnamonCari]

@@LindseyNoelani that's my thought too, and the reason I say I'm "read" as white instead of directly saying I am white. Probably in the US, where whiteness is a very narrow concept that refers to direct Anglo-Saxon ancestry almost as much as skin tone, I would agree even more with you, but the fact is that for most purposes being seen as white in Venezuela equals being white (though most "white" Venezuelans would not pass in the US). What I'm saying is that unless you are super foreign, most of Latin America works out race equating it to color, we are a very colorist society, hence why I correct the original commenter. In Colombia, Shakira is white. Her last name is not "criollo", her facial features are small and dainty, her skin has never been very swarthy even if she is kind of pale olive (I'm pale olive too). You just have to look at the covers of her first albums: I believe she was marketed as tanner in her days trying to break into the USA market in an attempt to make her easier to categorize and digest for the stereotypes most of the US public have of Latinos (as a homogeneous mass of tanned people). I'm right there with you, there has to be a more varied representation of morenas in pop culture and it would be very nice that US media depicted Latino families as non-problematically mixed and we perceive ourselves to be (even if that is a complicated subject too).

[@maxcaulfield2602]

A fun suggestion for a video series: I would love if you made some shorts about women and women of color role models. I know you usually focus on current events but you make such good quality entertaining videos, I would love to see representation with your style. It would be as fun and funny as drunk history but with more sass and intellect and social commentary. Just a thought! Hope you are well

[@AdaOnDemand]

Added to my list!!! Thank you so much for the suggestion 🥰🥰🥰

[@maxcaulfield2602]

@@AdaOnDemand don't want to keep bothering you but even knowing about women of color role models is powerful because they are so inspiriting. thats why we only learn about white men in our history classes. Also if you ever heard of the idea that we are the five people we are around most, just having women of color in our focus will help us to be stronger and feel more understood and healed. Also you are so excellent in research, making videos, and would be able to make a lot of connections to social and historical trends. Your mind is brilliant and your thoughts are strong. Much love 😍😘 (I feel like we know each other enough that my grammar is all fucked lol)

[@dokessezeaka5159]

Zoe saldaner isn't black, she's biracial any I think it's important to have that distinction because it honestly hurts black unambiguous women the most as we're always looked over biracial women or that they are used to fit the diversity quota to represent black women

[@Thankgot]

Agreed

[@nickinouri659]

SUBSCRIBED! I absolutely love how eloquently you break down these complex issues, and with that last statement of “a modern Nina Simone wouldn’t even be able to be cast in her own biopic”...... that right there is the whole story. I think a video on colorism in Hollywood would be amazing!

[@Yallah_Studios11]

Please do a video about colorism in Hollywood! You’re amazing videos always explain these important topics as entertaining and informative.

[@aimemaggie]

It’s mad disrespectful for Zoe to accept the role.

[@canneverfindausernam]

SO happy you got recommended to me!!!

[@OnMyWaytoKorea]

As a person who grew up in Puerto Rico and not on the mainland, I missed on learning about a lot of racial based issues. I knew colorism existed now, but it wasn’t until I watched Self Made on Netflix that I realized how bad it was back in the day. The craziest thing is that colorism is big in my country too. We gravitate more towards people with Eurocentric features. However, I never noticed, while living there, that it was a big issue and that it had a name. Thank you for this video! It’s infuriating to me when these things happen Blessings!

[@Sleipnirseight]

Man, have you seen what Aretha Franklin's family have had to say about the biopic coming out about her? Giving me flashbacks to what happened with Green Book 😬

[@maffieduran]

Except Green Book controversy was debunked by interview with Don Shirley.

[@heather-ks8st]

I need a larger discussion on colorism please!

[@AdaOnDemand]

Coming soon!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@yawninggrave]

michaela coel has such a strong resemblace to nina simone and i wouldve loved to see her in the biopic honestly

[@elletea77]

I completley hear you. I have been saying this ad nauseam. I say to my bf "watch they'll cast a mixed or light woman but the dude can have dark skin. " At first he denied it. Then as he became aware, he started to point it out, too. I/ we're not black, but I was raised in a multi- cultural environment (Long Beach, CA) and the casting in Hollywood is ridiculous and should be addressed for sooooo many reasons. I appreciated your video!

[@heavencordeiro996]

Girl I NEVER laugh out loud but your videos have me rolling. Such a perfect balance between informative but entertaining! Keep up the vids 🥰 I'm binging them all!!!!

[@heavencordeiro996]

The Titanic song over the pics of her prosthetics tho rip

[@yasmeenm3093]

So hype to watch this!

[@TheDame]

I applaud your engagement in this topic on your platform. Thank you for speaking truth to power about colorism in the industry. Glad to be a new subscriber. 🙏💕

[@Jasmine-ot8br]

Haven’t started really yet and loveeeeee your background ❤️

[@annelipietersen2287]

I know Viola Davis played Ma Rainey, so maybe that's why she didn't take this role. But she seems like the obvious choice, she talented, closer in age and has a darker complexion than Zoe

[@tobymidnight1957]

The people in charge of casting Zoe Saldana: it's not blackface if she's already black

[@Shay45]

Yeah and those people have no idea what blackface is

[@bajanch3rri97]

I refused to see the film when I watched the trailer, I couldn’t believe how cartoonish it was. Nina’s Simone’s blackness wasn’t just some inconsequential factor that hardly affected her life and career. Her race (and her complexion and features) influenced the trajectory of her life and shaped her music in discernible ways. The portrayal was all kinds of disrespectful.

[@Bbydawl]

This is why I don’t agree with mixed raced women calling themselves black. And yes, I’m biracial. When I think of a black woman, I should see dark skin and traditionally black features. Not a light skinned girl with barely curly hair. It’s a whole problem.

[@Bbydawl]

There’s also SO MANY biracial women that place themselves above black women. How can we call ourselves black women when the thing that makes us “pretty” to society is typically Eurocentric. We don’t know a thing about being a black woman in America. We are closer to being white than a visibly black woman, and that’s all THAT is about. Whiteness. That’s the only reason mixed race women are chosen for these film roles, and put on a pedestal. We aren’t prettier, we’re just whiter.

[@asmrcity3147]

Great video. I’m interested in the colorism in hollywood video

[@sylvz7135]

Thank you for educating me with every video of yours I watch 💕

[@whenyouwishuponastar6643]

Wow! I didn’t even know the movie was taking place when Nina Simone was 60 and Zoe was in her 30s! Whew the agism! Yeah I remember when this was filming I decided to watch the documentary instead and the documentary was good! This was a great video and breakdown of the situation.

[@CactusJinx]

If the movie highlights her life and struggle as a dark skin Black woman.. the actress who plays her is important! Idk how people misunderstand this concept! Youve explained it so well.. people are dense 😒

[@brunabento8336]

Oh yikes... what on earth were they thinking . _. if they understood what Nina had to go through, everything she worked for and stood for, WHY WOULD THEY DO THIS!? I wasn't familiar with this movie and I'm so glad I didn't watch it, it's just downright disrespectful and it's sickening ! Thank you for talking about this, came across your channel the other day and I'm really enjoying your videos so far. Keep up the great work! c:

[@CaribbeanCitizen]

That FreddyFlange quote is so ignorant how is he going to say that "white people never say another white person is not white enough" when a lot of y'all fully do. Like are we pretending the one drop rule wasn't a thing?

[@hecateasteriaasmr]

So happy I found your channel!

[@lilmizzije]

PLEASE do a video about colourism in Hollywood. How the tv shows in the 90s were predominantly monoracial and now shows like blackish mainly cast mixed race people. How magazines/adverts lighten celebrities etc etc

[@kimberlybrown2664]

You're right, casting Zoe to play Nina IS the worst case of white-washing ever! I remember when I first heard about the casting choice. I was going off on my FB page!! I'm still upset about it. Also, I'm not sure Zoe ever fully recovered as an actress afterwards.

[@Nooooooooooooooooooooo7913]

I will be angry about this for the rest of my life. Literally everyone responsible for this deserves JAIL

[@KylaMae10]

Hol because I did not know at the time when I watched the movie that it was Zoe. I knew something seemed off.😐😑😐

[@adorablebelle]

You hair is poppin and I love your channel!

[@qtaylor2747]

Michaela Coel was right there. She could have played Nina Simone.

[@dezzyjones]

So good, keep pushing content!

[@jam1736]

Great video! Everything you said is 100% true.

[@boltpanther5862]

I just got recommended your channel by the algorithm today and I am so pleased! I find your videos very succinct and interesting and I feel like I learn a lot about topics I might not have considered. Will be watching in the future! :)

[@mariincarey3509]

Such a disrespect towards her family that she was casted anyways, like why would you do it ?! No honor towards the woman they were portraying...

[@patisaurus4046]

I really believe the ways it works in Hollywood is also like in a small parallel universe. everything is connected through connections and money. so they choose a actress which is a bigger guarantee to fill the cinemas. part could of course be due to colorism but not all of it.

[@AdaOnDemand]

I actually think that those two are really intertwined! Almost like a chicken and the egg situation. The system of colorism/preferring lighter skin to darker skin is what drives the fact that cinemas fill up for lighter/whiter Hollywood stars! Anyway, thanks so much for watching and commenting!!

[@ilincabogza]

Love this!💕💗

[@apoptosisduellinks109]

It doesn't matter that you covered the incident four years after the fact, because to some people, like me, who have missed the incident this story is new. Nice video

[@SachaMullin]

I remember this movie was in development hell for so long... Mary J Blige was attached to the script for so long, and eventually removed herself from the project. And if you have India.Arie sitting *right there*, who in their right mind wouldn’t take her up on that offer?! But ultimately, Hollywood doesn’t have a great track record with biopics regardless, and once again it decided to warp the actual factual legacy of a gifted woman despite vocal concerns from fans and the estate (the fictional plot for “Lady Sings the Blues” comes to mind). It was also deluded of Saldaña to think she was “saving” this project, but the economic culture at large bears just as much responsibility, if not more. Thanks so much for making this video.

[@aaem2000]

Michaela Coel (Lead actress in Chewing Gum) would have been my pick

[@asyabellia6791]

Totally agree with you. Also, it's interesting you mention Tyrion Lannister, as so many disabled roles, even now, are played by nondisabled actors.

[@Claraalicia]

Love your channel. You can make any subject fun. Sending love from Brazil 😚

[@nsoromma9505]

Zoe doesn’t consider herself black or at least when its only convenient for her to do so. She said that they should have casted a Black woman for the role so why say that if you’re black period.

[@Lill2895]

And she's stated that she's not Black. She needs to keep that energy.

[@dicek.3496]

yes love this glad i found your channel!

[@Ro.Gue.Ish.]

Thank you for making this very important video

[@sweetheartoftherodeo1741]

This situation reminds me of the "low key racist" attitude that people give to this kind of situations. People still manage to not feel racist or guilty for saying things that actually are It's so irritating

[@dante6985]

Scarlet Johansson's rationalization for taking the role was so weird. "I wouldn't presume to play another race... but it was an asian woman's brain in a cyborg body. I was playing the body." But it was science fiction anime fantasy and not a real person at least. The 2016 Nina Simone movie boggles the mind. Everyone involved should have known better.

[@michaeld.williamsiii9026]

Well said Clint!!

[@StarDreamsStudios]

But she’s right. Like the body of the cyborg ISNT EVEN ASIAN. It would make no sense to cast a Asian if she’s not suppose to look freaking Asian.

[@dante6985]

@@StarDreamsStudios No, she's supposed to look Asian. In the Manga and anime film, she's a resident of the fictional JAPANESE city of Niihama named Motoko Kusanagi and the body is an Asian woman (why would they change someone's race if they put someone into a new body? THAT makes no sense. I'm Asian, my body was destroyed, please put my brain in a caucasian body? You're talking crazy.)

[@imtheleadsheepinchina6448]

The representation in movies and tv shows of a darkskin woman hit hard as a south indian woman because of all the movies my state has produced there is only 0.5% chance of the heroine being brown skin. Dark skin is not potrayed at all and infact is mocked and the butt of jokes. Despite the majority population of my state being dark brown skin the heroines are always white..although they accept the hero being brown skin🙄its embarrassing how much people hate their own skin colour

[@clestis4591]

I never saw this film, but I did see the documentary about her life on Netflix, which I think was done well. Nina Simone is a legend and her life deserves to represented accurately. She was a dark skinned Black woman and it doesn't make sense having a light skinned Back woman play her. Colorism is such a huge problem and with the struggles she went through, it's insulting to ignore that part of her identity. The film industry is so insidious when it comes to picking and choosing when they want to cast dark skinned Black people for roles. It's frustrating and I wish there was a way to change it. I want to have hope that things will change for the better, but I don't know.

[@eliseesbjornsson4981]

As this is a video about Nina Simone and her legacy, I want to mention Hozier and Mavis Staples who duetted on a song called “Nina Cried Power”, where they mention and uplift activists. Hozier, a straight white man, wrote this song by himself. He has always protested against homophobia (especially in the Catholic Church) , domestic violence and racism. I recommend for everyone to listen to his music and ponder about his very poetic and meaningful lyrics.

[@darrenkey207]

Worse case ever? I'm guessing you haven't seen Angelina Jolie in Blackface😏. The film is called "A Mighty Heart" (2007). Angela Jolie donned Blackface to play a real life woman of Afro-Cuban and Dutch ancestry.

[@theab3957]

Please tell me this is not true?

[@darrenkey207]

@@theab3957 very true. I edited my comment to include the film's title

[@therealfinnaspring8585]

@@theab3957 wow we have really grown since 2007....kinda idk lol

[@maffieduran]

So many afrolatina actresses and they had to that, gross

[@kait-9939]

Noo 😂🙄

[@teresaross1469]

It always makes me think about the actor! Why SAY YES TO THE ROLE?!???? like I know they have to think to themselves "hey, maybe this isn't right?" LIKE WHAT?!?

[@hokagedlo6133]

Money>>>morals

[@michz9304]

There is also a "right way" to be white, I live in Europe and see this here too, Hitler's reign only happened a few decades ago everyone! And he and his followers were obsessed with the aryan image of "blonde and blue eyes" as being the purest features and even created "projects" to get the German population mixed with Scandinavians to be more "pure and white" and also kidnapped blonde Polish children to mix into the gene pool. Blonde hair dye or peroxide was heavily used by Germans to meet this ideal and avoid discrimination. This is also still an issue in many European countries where blonde and blue eyed people are seen as more beautiful and are preferred in the media to "represent" their country, and to pretend that darker skinned people don't exist in their country when in fact a lot of Europeans have darker skin and more "exotic features". Some Europeans are even ashamed or in total denial of their more "exotic" European roots for example if a German has a great grandma who was from a poorer country like Malta, then they aren't "100% pure German" or if they have Turkish/Moorish/Mongolian DNA they will deny this. Only until recently has it become popular to be more exotic looking in Europe and there is also a creepy fetishizing of mixed kids and if the kids "will have blue eyes"... I can go on and on but it is exhausting! Great video :)!

[@valentinagirott]

Amazing video! girl, i gotta say i just discovered your channel and im quite obsessed ✨ such good content and love the vibe!

[@phoebelarkman7181]

I’m a new subscriber and I love ur content!!

[@alakomachado9680]

I am a Latin light skin black woman that always have advocated against the idea of "black enough" However, there are fucking times when you JUST AREN'T BLACK ENOUGH

[@tyarahernandez9291]

The whole situation is ridiculous Zoe Saldana refuses to see the privilege she holds and recently even got mad on Instagram saying that recognizing Afro Latinos is divisive for the Latinx community. So she can spare the “tears” of feeling bad for playing the role knowing that people and especially Nina Simone’s family did not want her for the role. I find it incredibly disrespectful. She simply did not have the range for the role and your analogy comparing this to if a 6’ man played the GoT character w dwarfism was spot on.

[@elsagreen1476]

You never miss, I am living for your excellent, well-articulated and well-informed commentary on media and pop culture! Doesn't Zoe Saldana also not even identify as Black or did I make that up?

[@alakomachado9680]

I hate remembering this movie exists

[@Tori-qu7ku]

also the colorism in Hollywood is so rampant and obvious. it really seems like every commercial casts the same type of lightskinned, thin/fit, 3c curls in a fro type actress