Zoe Saldana’s Critics Rehash ‘Blackface’ Allegations as Actress’s Misguided Decision to Portray Nina Simone with Darkened Skin and Prosthetic Nose Comes Back to Bite

Many celebrities who have been in the limelight long enough know that any mistake they have made in their past always has the potential to come back to haunt them. Zoe Saldana is one of the latest stars to have her transgressions overshadow what is supposed to be a celebratory moment.After over two decades in the business, Saldana received her first Oscar nomination on Jan. 23 for Best Supporting Actress in the Netflix film “Emilia Pérez.” However, that celebration was short-lived when, a few days later, unforgiving critics reminded their social media peers of the controversial moment when Saldana portrayed American singer and civil rights activist Nina Simone in the 2016 biopic “Nina.”In the film, Saldana, whose complexion is several shades lighter than Simone’s, wore dark foundation and body makeup to match the singer’s deep skin tone. She completed the look with a short-cut wig and prosthetic nose. This move caused much anger among fans who believed the role should have gone to a darker-skinned actress, especially because Simone was very vocal about her struggles as a darker skinned woman. Nina Simone’s daughter, Lisa Simone Kelly, also weighed in on the decision to cast Zoe Saldana as the beloved songwriter....