Entertainment
Zoe Saldana’s take on Nina Simone’s 2016 biopic resurfaces on the 21st anniversary of the singer’s death
An try and honor Nina Simone’s legacy on the 21st anniversary of her death has reignited the furore surrounding the controversial biopic starring Zoe Saldana as the late icon earlier this week. The film “Nina” premiered in April 2016, but even before the premiere there have been strong reactions about the actress changing her appearance for the role.
In this role, the “Avatar” standout wore a prosthetic nose that flared her nostrils, an Afro wig and was covered in deep-tinted makeup that mimicked Simone’s mahogany skin.

The “I Put a Spell On You” singer died of natural causes after a battle with cancer on April 21, 2003. She was 70 years old.
Her estate shared a post on X celebrating her life with a surprising portrait of Simone. However, retweets and replies reveal that she is endlessly attached to the cinematic flop from almost a decade ago. “I just got mad again.” he wrote user X, who re-shared the post together with photos of Saldana and Simone.
Another response To read“I still can’t believe they blackfaced her. And what’s worse, she agreed!” A one that rated Saldana based on her acting skills he wrote“I confirm what someone says. Zoe did a great job playing her and I enjoyed the movie. She’s nothing like her, but she got the job done.
I just got mad again. https://t.co/NZBsbS8aOR pic.twitter.com/8JF98EHLxv
— Princess (@themultiplemom) April 21, 2024
According to Hollywood reporterMary J. Blige was originally cast for the role, but financial problems led to her departure from the production. Saldana, who identifies as a Black Latina with Dominican, Puerto Rican and Haitian roots, responded to early outcry from fans of the legendary artist who were unhappy with her participation in the concert.
“I never should have played Nina,” she said during a 2020 interview with Bese. “I should have done everything I could with the advantage I had 10 years ago – which was a different lever, but it was leverage nonetheless – I should have tried everything I could to cast a black woman in a role that was uniquely perfect black woman,” Saldana added.
Four years earlier, nonetheless, she took a distinct position.
“Women’s stories aren’t important enough, especially black women’s stories. I made my choice,” Saldana told Allure. “Do I continue to pass the script around and hope that the “right” black person does it, or do I say, “You know what? Whatever consequences this may bring, my casting is nothing compared to the fact that this story needs to be told.”
Simone’s daughter, Simone Kelly, echoed similar sentiments, speaking out against the film, which was released a yr after the official What Happened to Miss Simone documentary.
“There are many great actresses of color who could better represent my mother and bring her to the screen with the right script, the right team and a sense of wanting to bring the truth of my mother’s journey to the masses,” said Kelly the New York Times 4 years before the film saw the light of day.
Sam Waymon, Nina’s brother, shared scathing comments about the casting when he told the New York Daily News that it was “an insult to our people and their fight and all the things that Nina represented in her music and all the things that she stood for in own life. It takes a lot of courage and audacity to do this.” He said of Saldana’s dark complexion that it is “what we consider blackface.”
Michaela Coel in my opinion looks a lot like her, probably unrelated, but seeing these photos of Nina it reminded me of someone and I just remembered who pic.twitter.com/D9g8JDtRqr
—
Sairam
(@CZApolitica) April 22, 2024
Saldana has previously mentioned that her success in films is due in part to her roles in science fiction series such as “Star Trek” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.” She claimed that the characters she chose suspended reality, allowing her to be colorblind as an artist and allowing fans to not care about her ethnicity and skin color.
Elsewhere, reacting to the estate’s well-intentioned posts, many people suggested that “I May Destroy You” actress Michaela Coel should be cast as the “High Priestess of Soul” if ever another attempt to tell her life’s story results in It will be possible. for the big screen.
Entertainment
Taraji P. Henson played in the upcoming thriller Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry Studios is preparing for the next release of the film – and that is one other thriller. This summer, Taraji P. Henson, Teyana Taylor, Sherri Shepherd and others are to look in the upcoming thriller of Perry “Straw”.
According to Netflix“Słomiana” concerns the “Lonely Mother, whose world spreads in chaos, when her day goes from evil to worse to catastrophic, when she tries to take care of her sick daughter. Pushed to the edge through the world, which seems indifferent to her existence, is forced to face impossible elections in a society that does not offer her safety net.” Taping her character Janyah as a single mother was something she could confer with from experience.
“Janiyah is a woman who doesn’t have much in life, but she has a lot of love for her child,” said Henson Entertainment every week. “I’m a lonely mother, so I understood her journey and her struggles. She is a lonely mother who tries to utilize the cards which have been given in her life best.
Noticing how the film “shows how easy it is that people in a difficult situation can be disregarded or deprived of civil rights by a system that is to protect them,” added Henson:
“If likelihood is high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high it’s possible it’s possible likelihood is high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high high you almost actually can possibly possibly possibly be a fighting single mother, you likely can in no way times pay for this extraordinary lunch, and kids who cannot afford this extraordinary lunch, get a separate lunch. And you already know what is happening then? Children begin to hassle your child. As parents, they feel the pain of our youngsters deeper than them, so it meant for her.
The film, which based on Henson is crammed with “crazy twists”, which could surprise the viewers, was reportedly shot inside 4 days, while the actress worked on one other project.
“Thinking that we shot in four days when I was still working on” Night Fight Night “,” Henson explained. “But that is what I like in Słrier Perry; he’s fast, and I’ll even be fast. He knew he had a limited time with me. He used it accurately … The topic is a bit dark, so I used to be once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once glad that I used to be once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once living only in the world of this character for 4 days, because this energy is transferred, and just somewhat little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little little bit of a follow you. I used to be once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once glad when it happens, and I’m very different from one other character.
“Straw” takes place at Netflix on June 6.

(Tagstotranslate) Entertainment
Entertainment
2025 San Francisco Art Fair Extated Creativity, Equity and Community Connection – Essence
Photo loan: Drew Bird, Courtesy of Art Market Productions
From April 17-20, thirteenth edition San Francisco Art Fair He brought an electrical pulse to the Fort Fort Fort Pavilion, attracting over 22,000 participants from throughout California and more. Of the 88 galleries and 45 participating partners, this 12 months’s event celebrated the creative spirit of Bay Area through dynamic exhibitions, programming, including and deepened involvement in constructing community.
Organized by Art Market Productions, Branch A21, began with a live VIP preview, through which over 4,500 guests participated. Collectors, curators, artists and similar ones gathered to take up a job which is able to define the weekend. Local favorites, paying homage to PT.2 Gallery, Jessica Silverman and Micki Meng, offered outstanding presentations, while exhibitors for the primary time, including Anthony Meier and Madsen, spoke daring statements with programming, which they raised regional talents. Sales reports showed significant activity throughout the least levels-from $ 500 local images $ 45,000, Rojas, sold by Jessica Silverman Gallery-Inventory, each healthy collector’s commitment and adaptation to trends emphasized contained contained contained throughout the Art Basel X UBS Art 2025 report.
In addition to selling the heartbeat of this 12 months’s fair, there was programming. Panels, performances and projects of public art emphasize how art intersects with justice, identity and local traditions. One of probably essentially probably probably essentially probably probably probably essentially probably essentially essentially essentially probably essentially essentially probably essentially probably essentially probably essentially probably probably essentially probably essentially probably probably essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably probably essentially probably essentially essentially essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably essentially essentially probably essentially essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably essentially probably essentially essentially probably essentially probably essentially probably essentially essentially probably essentially essentially essentially probably probably essentially essentially essentially probably probably essentially essentially essentially probably probably probably probably probably essentially essentially essentially probably essentially essentially probably probably probably probably probably probably probably probably essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably essentially essentially probably essentially essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably essentially probably essentially probably essentially essentially essentially probably probably essentially probably essentially probably essentially essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably probably probably probably essentially probably essentially probably essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably probably probably essentially probably essentially essentially probably probably probably probably probably probably probably probably probably essentially probably essentially probably probably essentially probably probably essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially probably essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially probably essentially essentially probably probably essentially probably essentially probably probably probably probably essentially probably probably probably probably probably probably essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially probably essentially essentially essentially probably probably essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably probably essentially essentially probably probably probably essentially essentially essentially probably essentially probably probably essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially probably probably probably essentially essentially probably probably probably probably essentially essentially essentially essentially essentially probably essentially essentially probably probably the most powerful moments got here throughout the Saturday panel “Art and Impact in the East Bay”, through which the artist and cultural strategist Favianna Rodriguez emphasized the urgency of practice based on the goal.
“I really believe in the power of art,” said Rodriguez. “If we are thinking about artists in the whole story – Nina Simone, Frida Kahlo, James Baldwin – helped change the way we think. At the moment it is important that the artists wonder what really depends. Regardless of whether it is an environment or reproductive rights of women, or takes care of LGBTQ or your health care, we need artists to show us what is possible.”
This forward -looking way of considering lasted to the Sunday panel on the Nexus SF/Bay Area Black Art Week, a rapidly developing platform organized by African diaspora museum To emphasize the work of black artists in San Francisco and Oakland. Together with the second edition on the horizon, Nexus is gaining momentum each as a vacation and a call to act – with a purpose to deepen the visibility of black visionaries.

Moderated by Abram Jackson, the panel contained powerful voices, including the last word word word word director of Monetty White, Lava Thomas artists and George McCalman and galleryist Jonathan Carver Moore. Together, they unpacked the double need for representation and infrastructure, citing Nexus as a bridge – not only between artists, but between the past and the long term. Together with the 20 th anniversary of the Museum on the horizon and the upcoming exhibition, Energia around Nexus seemed expansive and confirming.
“This year at the Art Fair in San Francisco it was important for us at Art Market Productions to create real spaces to combine – especially for the black creative community, which is such an important part of the Bay Area artistic scene,” said Kelly Freeman, director of Art Fair. “Thanks to Nexus and Black Brunch Club, we were able to combine artists, collectors and supporters in a way that seemed personal, significant and solemn. These meetings that remind us of why cooperation is important in art – and why it is so important to strengthen the voices that shape the future of the bay.”
The Black Brunch Club, which took place contained contained contained throughout the showroom of the Fair Collector, closed SFAF 2025, nevertheless it was a smaller act than it was a vacation. This served as a reminder that black creativity won’t be only aesthetics – it’s a pedigree, life line and a lens for the long term.
Other outstanding sessions throughout the fair included printing workshops of the Museum of Craft and Design Museum, satirical lecture by Marc Horowitz on the absurdist history of art and a movable panel on motherhood and artistic practice with the participation of Silverman and the artists of the C. Tut and Libby Black. On Friday, a well -displayed conversation on “investing in black art for home” referred to how collecting is possibly each an act of protection and personal transformation. A non-public party took place the the equivalent evening Jay collection, autographWhere did the guests like music together with wine Gifts. The meeting was organized to extend awareness for further triennale, a brand latest platform introducing contained contained contained throughout the spring of 2027, which is able to have time visual art in northern California.
Throughout the weekend, public projects paying homage to Creativity Non -Profit San Francisco studied interactive entry points for beginners and experienced collectors. Meanwhile, organizations paying homage to Berkeley Art Museum and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts emphasized institutional cooperation and interregional story.
“This year’s fair has confirmed what we always know – that Bay Area has a resistant and deeply engaged art community,” said Freeman in a press release. “The enthusiasm in the pavilion was electric – from the quality of the works presented in significant conversations taking place at stands and programming. We are proud to provide a platform that raises this creative ecosystem and invites important voices in folds.”
Entertainment
Ayesha Curry under the fire for admitting “the lack of athletes” before she married Stepha, when fans say that she humiliates the NBA star
The revelation of Ayesh Curry about her teenage dating rule bored the debate about whether the public statements of the culinary entrepreneur sometimes obscure the achievements of her husband of the NBA Super Gwiades.
Referred in an interview with the Christian broadcast network, wherein she turned to the strict policy of “without athletes” before meeting Stephen Curry as a teen, she caused mixed reactions of fans who wonder if such sincere disclosures unintentionally undermine the refined public pendant of the war warrior.

During the conversation from March 2025, with the host Efrem Graham Ayesh, she considered the irony of her former attitude, recognizing how her younger I made broad generalings about sports personality.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Paaxjwfdpoq
“And it’s so funny!” She said: “When you are a teenager, you don’t necessarily think about what you are saying and you tend to generalize, and as (you) a change, you put different people into different boxes.”
Adding: “And so embarrassing at the bottom that this is capital letters, such as” without athletes! They are so smug! “And what kind of generalization is that? “
A 36-year-old mother of a four-person one explained how Stephen’s meeting questioned her prejudices. Looking back, she principally knew him all her life – for the first time she met the future NBA champion when she was over 20 years – and described their meeting as a divine intervention.
“And so I feel that that is the way it’s God, don’t judge the book by the cover, because I met my husband – well, I met my husband (when) I used to be once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once once 14 years old, but I went on a date with my husband at the age of 19 or (he was) my friend, and he was a exact opposite of this.
CBN YouTube viewers expressed Mixed reactions to interview.
“Could the embarrassing Steph stop? How to close,” commented one of the viewers, blowing her up for saying things that, he believed, he casts dirt on her husband’s image.
Another support offered: “I am glad that he now has its own marriage and relationship!” Referring to the thought that she just just won’t be comfortable in her relationship.
But many comments applauded her, recognized her strong faith, and likewise celebrated their family.
The third person noticed: “The man thinks about curry, he was not in the drama on the pitch and outside and has a beautiful family.”
Another added: “Everyone is incredibly beautiful, they just shine with a good spirit. Basketball Obama …”
This just just won’t be the first time Ayesha met with criticism of her public comments.
Earlier she caused controversy, discussing her feelings that she didn’t pay the attention of men compared with how her husband is bombarded with women’s admiration.
During the previous interview, she expressed uncertainty about women thrown in Stephen, while she felt invisible to other men, comments that were later criticized for being inappropriate for a married woman.
Twitter cut off the first 20 seconds of the conversation with the red table of Ayesha Curry
. pic.twitter.com/eauuovfv86
-Britt-man
(@tjseanb) December 21, 2021
Despite the periodic slack, Currys maintained a sturdy public presence when their family increased in front of the eyes of the fans.
Their oldest daughter, currently 12-year-old Riley, for the first time captured her heart as a premature toddler who interrupted the press conferences of the NBA finals of her father 2015. Recently noticed on the game Warriors, which stands almost as high as her mother with an area of 5 feet-8, transformation of Riley from Sassa 3-year-old, who quoted Big Sean lyrics in the composed teenager, caused fans to surprise during a fraction of Time.
The curry family now covers Ryana, 9, Canon, 6 and Baby Caius, who ends 1 this month. During her journey Ayesh built her own empire as the creator of the cookbook, television personality and entrepreneur, while Stephen continues his dominance in basketball at the age of 37.
Explaining their family’s approach to public life, Ayesha emphasized the authenticity.
“I think we are trying to keep it really. And we try to be nice people,” said CBN. “People look at our family, but I think it is important that everyone knows that no one is perfect, and we are just trying to live at the moment.”
While critics can perceive Ayesh’s apparitions as embarrassing against Stephen, the 4 -time NBA champion seems distrustful.
His recent birthday tribute to his wife showed his unwavering devotion: “Where are we starting to describe what you mean, our family, all who have been blessed enough to meet you. You light a room,” he wrote.
Indeed, despite the sporadic storms in social media and perceived excessive objects, Currys carried out almost 13 years of marriage with no much scandal, maintaining their status of one of the most admired pairs of basketball.
(Tagstransate) ayesha curry