There are plenty of great performers who can be likened to Beyoncé, but Nina Simone isn’t one of them. Diana Ross, Madonna and Whitney Houston all come to mind. Yet Simone, a pained chanteuse in exile with a cult following and only one Top 20 hit (“I Loves You, Porgy”), is the sole predecessor Beyoncé [...]
Bevy of Black Biopics Beset By Legal Bog Downs
November 18, 2012 | Posted by
I only realized recently that many of the biopics we’ve covered here on S&A, especially in the last year or two, have all found themselves in the middle of squabbles over rights issues with, or approval/authorization from the real-life subjects of the biopics (if they’re alive), or those who control their estates, or other influential [...]
India Arie Criticizes Zoe Saldana Being Cast As Nina Simone
November 11, 2012 | Posted by
India Arie has added her voice to the considerable outcry over Zoe Saldana portraying Nina Simone in a bippic of her life. The “I Am Not My Hair” singer criticized the casting in an essay posted on Nina Simone’s webpage. While she believes Simone deserves to have a biographical film, she thinks the film is [...]
India.Arie Blasts Casting Zoe Saldana as Nina Simone, Tells Her Choice
November 6, 2012 | Posted by
People have been asking me for weeks, months, years about a Nina Simone movie, when I heard about Zoe Saldana being cast I reserved judgement, you NEVER know what People are MEANT to do. SO TODAY I saw the images of Zoe Saldana as Nina Simone… AND I THINK THEY ARE RIDICULOUS! Yes there should [...]
Zoe Saldana Spotted in Makeup as Nina Simone
October 24, 2012 | Posted by
Zoe Saldana was spotted in makeup as songstress Nina Simone yesterday for her unauthorized biopic. Saldana has remained relatively quiet about taking on the role of the icon but that hasn’t stopped others from voicing their disappointment, namely Simone’s own daughter Lisa Celeste Stroud – she now goes by the name Simone. During an interview in [...]
Meshell Ndegeocello’s 10th Album Release Dedicated to Spirit of Nina Simone
September 26, 2012 | Posted by
Acclaimed jazz-funk bassist and neo-soul chanteuse Meshell Ndegeocello (pictured left), releases her tenth studio album, Pour une âme souveraine (‘For a sovereign soul’), on 8 October on Naïve Records. A dedication to the fearless creativity and spirit of Nina Simone, the feisty songwriter/bassist is joined by her regular touring band of guitarist Chris Bruce, keyboardist [...]
Zoe Saldana Deemed Too Light To Be Cast as Nina Simone
September 16, 2012 | Posted by
The backlash against Zoe Saldana’s casting as Nina Simone is growing. Last month, rumors began swirling that Saldana landed the starring role in a Nina Simone biopic after Mary J. Blige dropped out. The news immediately caused controversy and critics came from all over the media world. Britni Danielle, a writer at Clutch Magazine saw [...]
Nina Simone’s Daughter Discusses Her Mom’s Legacy
August 24, 2012 | Posted by
For many of us, Nina Simone is nothing less than a goddess. Her music informs our lives (see: “Wild is the Wind,” “Feelin’ Good,” “Pirate Jenny, “Mississippi Goddamn,” etc, etc), her courage inspires us, we name our daughters for her, wallpaper our homes with her regal face in profile. The announcement of the casting of [...]
Zoe Saldana Up for Role in Nina Simone Biopic. Is Mary J. Blige Out?
August 16, 2012 | Posted by
Zoe Saldana is up for a role in Nina, though that’s about all the info there is at the moment reports IOTG. The seemingly forever-developing Nina Simone biopic is still moving, though it has been quite a while since there was been any substantial news. Way back in 2010, Mary J. Blige signed on for [...]
Nina Simone’s Daughter Suing Her Father Over Her Mother’s Estate
July 11, 2012 | Posted by
The daughter of jazz artist Nina Simone is in the process of suing her father for $155 million, and she asked the Federal Court to intervene. Lisa Simone Kelly claims that Andrew Stroud, her father and Simone’s ex-husband, wrongfully obtained and transferred items belonging to her late mother’s estate, which Kelly now legally owns, according to a lawsuit [...]
