BET says 'Black people should know better' re: Zoe Saldana

[summer]

Um.........?



www.people.com/article/nina-biopic-distributor-defends-casting-zoe-saldana




The distributor behind the Nina Simone biopic Nina is coming to Zoë Saldana's defense.



Robert L. Johnson, founder and chairman of RLJ Entertainment, the production company behind the film, and founder of BET, compared the controversy surrounding the casting of Saldana playing the darker-skinned music icon to how slaves were once treated.



"It's unfortunate that African-Americans are talking about this in a way that hearkens back to how we were treated when we were slaves," Johnson told The Hollywood Reporter. "The slave masters separated light-skinned blacks from dark-skinned blacks, and some of that social DNA still exists today among many black people."



Controversy around the biopic has swirled since its first official poster and trailer were released. Critics soon lashed out online at the mother of two – who is of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent – saying that her skin has been darkened and she was wearing prosthetic makeup for the role.



"That's where some of this comes from, when you hear people saying that a light-skinned woman can't play a dark-skinned woman when they're both clearly of African descent," he said. "To say that if I'm gonna cast a movie, I've gotta hold a brown paper bag up to the actresses and say, 'Oh sorry, you can't play her': Who's to decide when you're black enough?"



Johnson made it clear that he will not shy away from the subject and will continue to address the controversy and defend the film as needed.









"As an African-American, I will gladly engage anyone on this question of, should we be talking about how light or how dark you should be to play a role. Many people who are talking about it don't even realize what they're getting into," he explained. "Black Americans should know better than to have this discussion over a creative project. We're not talking about white against black. We're talking about black against black."









Johnson urges people to keep an open mind about the upcoming biopic and form their opinion once they've seen the film. But ultimately, he said judgment shouldn't be focused on skin color, but on talent.



"Make the judgement on the talent of actors, make the judgement on the writing, but don't make it on whether or not Zoë Saldana is as black as Nina," he said. "You can always say, 'Gee, I can find somebody who's blacker.' Let's talk about [the film] in terms of giving talented African-Americans a chance to play roles that they're qualified to play."

[laurenpetro]

holy shit, that makeup is terrible.

[elleblue]

Mar 17, 2016 14:50:21 GMT -5 laurenpetro said:

holy shit, that makeup is terrible.

They really should have gone with that Swedish spray tan instead. 

[NitaX]

Mar 17, 2016 14:48:45 GMT -5 summer said:

Um.........?



www.people.com/article/nina-biopic-distributor-defends-casting-zoe-saldana


The distributor behind the Nina Simone biopic Nina is coming to Zoë Saldana's defense.



Robert L. Johnson, founder and chairman of RLJ Entertainment, the production company behind the film, and founder of BET, compared the controversy surrounding the casting of Saldana playing the darker-skinned music icon to how slaves were once treated.



"It's unfortunate that African-Americans are talking about this in a way that hearkens back to how we were treated when we were slaves," Johnson told The Hollywood Reporter. "The slave masters separated light-skinned blacks from dark-skinned blacks, and some of that social DNA still exists today among many black people."



Controversy around the biopic has swirled since its first official poster and trailer were released. Critics soon lashed out online at the mother of two – who is of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent – saying that her skin has been darkened and she was wearing prosthetic makeup for the role.

"That's where some of this comes from, when you hear people saying that a light-skinned woman can't play a dark-skinned woman when they're both clearly of African descent," he said. "To say that if I'm gonna cast a movie, I've gotta hold a brown paper bag up to the actresses and say, 'Oh sorry, you can't play her': Who's to decide when you're black enough?"

Johnson made it clear that he will not shy away from the subject and will continue to address the controversy and defend the film as needed.


"As an African-American, I will gladly engage anyone on this question of, should we be talking about how light or how dark you should be to play a role. Many people who are talking about it don't even realize what they're getting into," he explained. "Black Americans should know better than to have this discussion over a creative project. We're not talking about white against black. We're talking about black against black."


Johnson urges people to keep an open mind about the upcoming biopic and form their opinion once they've seen the film. But ultimately, he said judgment shouldn't be focused on skin color, but on talent.


"Make the judgement on the talent of actors, make the judgement on the writing, but don't make it on whether or not Zoë Saldana is as black as Nina," he said. "You can always say, 'Gee, I can find somebody who's blacker.' Let's talk about [the film] in terms of giving talented African-Americans a chance to play roles that they're qualified to play."

Way to miss the point playa. This ain't the black version of Avatar. It's about missing the entire point of who Nina Simone was and casting someone with like features. It makes your "creative" project a mockery of art. It's not art. It's a minstrel show. You can do better. 

[meshaliuknits]

Dude, if Zoe was the best person to play the part, let her play the part. Don't paint her up. Let her look how she looks. Especially if you're gonna do a hack job with the make up.

[summer]

Right? I was reading this like, "um...the point went way over that way. You better go find it because it passed you by completely."

[threejs]

Bob Johnson needs to sit the hell down somewhere. You put out a shitty product. Own it. And NOW you want to use the fact that you're a black man to make it seem as if you have a point to argue? Were you concerned with how we treat each other while you were busy becoming a billionaire peddling the bullshit that is BET?

He makes my ass itch.

[cookiemdough]

Did he really try to shame black people for not supporting this ridiculousness?

[threejs]

Mar 17, 2016 16:19:11 GMT -5 1234FIF! said:

I AM STILL MAD ABOUT THIS, 20 MINUTES LATER.

RAGING MAD!!  

THIS mofo.   

[meshaliuknits]

"That's where some of this comes from, when you hear people saying that a light-skinned woman can't play a dark-skinned woman when they're both clearly of African descent," he said. "To say that if I'm gonna cast a movie, I've gotta hold a brown paper bag up to the actresses and say, 'Oh sorry, you can't play her': Who's to decide when you're black enough?"

Dude, are you kidding me with this? You did. YOU DECIDED SHE WASN'T BLACK ENOUGH WHEN YOU PAINTED HER.

[sushi]

He does realize Nina Simone was a real person? A person who celebrated her darkness? Like, this isn't fiction, dude.

Fine, if Zoe is best, then don't put her in blackface if the paper bag test is insulting. BUT YOU PUT HER IN BLACKFACE. BADLY.

What a fucking tool. No, wait, tools are useful. What a fucking douche. No one should have a use for those things.

[sfy]

I will forever loathe Bob Johnson and Debra Lee on behalf of Sheila. I don't care if she has forgiven or not. So for that and at least 87 other reasons, I really don't care what he has to say.

[05heel]

Bob if you don't sit your narrow, black behind down somewhere far away from me...

You're still too close. Little further...

There you go. Yes, that's it. In the negro please section. That whole row is for you. Two rows behind you is Bill Cosby in the shame on you black journalists for reporting on my crimes section. That's your next stop.

Do better.

[sugarglider]

I'm reading and learning on the race and color aspects.

But also, how is the fact that she's a "mother of two" in any way relevant?

[pixy0stix]

I keep looking at the picture - all the makeup on her neck in the back has rubbed off.

[cookiemdough]

I am dead that there is a ninasimone AE liking posts lol

[Michelle]

I wonder who auditioned. Has that been discussed before?

I mean, if he was looking for an actress with established roles in primarily white casts, he could have picked Regina King. She has been in so many movies with casts of all colors. She is a great actress and she has darker skin than Saldana. Is it her age? She is only 7 years older than Saldana. Audra McDonald could be another choice although she has lighter skin in some photos - not sure if it is lighting or what. But she is also 45. Nia Long could be good, but she is also 45 and not super dark skinned.

so many alternative choices that could be so good.

[imobviouslystaying]

So this extra fuck face is gonna talk about folks deliberately segregating light black folks from dark black folks and treating them in different ways . . .

But then in an epic and spectacular case of fucking idiocy doesn't understand that he played into centuries' worth of black oppression by once again elevating a light skinned woman over a darker skinned one???


This fool the fuck right here.

Naw, man. Stahp!

[imobviouslystaying]

I'm all UP in my feelings now.

It's not about simply being black, fucker. It's about being something other than the Western European beauty ideal. It's about Nina Simone celebrating not just her ethnicity but her African facial features, the texture of her hair, the huskiness of her voice, the darkness of her skin. All of that and more she channeled into her music and her presence.

And this fucker wants to give us some watered down, too much milk in the coffee, fine boned idiot who doesn't even understand what Nina celebrated?

GET OUT!

[05heel]

Mar 17, 2016 19:02:09 GMT -5 imobviouslystaying said:

I'm all UP in my feelings now.

It's not about simply being black, fucker. It's about being something other than the Western European beauty ideal. It's about Nina Simone celebrating not just her ethnicity but her African facial features, the texture of her hair, the huskiness of her voice, the darkness of her skin. All of that and more she channeled into her music and her presence.

And this fucker wants to give us some watered down, too much milk in the coffee, fine boned idiot who doesn't even understand what Nina celebrated?

GET OUT!

Look, Bob said we don't know what we're getting into and that we should know better! Bob is a fool. Nobody should be like Bob.

[imobviouslystaying]

I wonder if they asked Lupita.

I'm going to bet no. BECAUSE COLORISM IS A THING, ASSCLOWN.

[NinaSimone]

Mar 17, 2016 17:32:48 GMT -5 cookiemdough said:

I am dead that there is a ninasimone AE liking posts lol

I'm not an AE I just don't post a lot.

[cookiemdough]

Mar 17, 2016 19:32:08 GMT -5 NinaSimone said:

Mar 17, 2016 17:32:48 GMT -5 cookiemdough said:

I am dead that there is a ninasimone AE liking posts lol

I'm not an AE I just don't post a lot.

Oops sorry

[isabel]

"It's unfortunate that African-Americans are talking about this in a way that hearkens back to how we were treated when we were slaves," Johnson told The Hollywood Reporter. "The slave masters separated light-skinned blacks from dark-skinned blacks, and some of that social DNA still exists today among many black people."

But, like, isn't this exactly the point? He chose an actress he thought attractive or for whatever other reason and she has lighter skin than Nina Simone, therefore separating a "light-skinned black" from the rest of those auditioning and giving her higher value. If she was truly the right person for the part, why put makeup on her to make her skin darker?