Zoe as Nina: For the Glory or the Green?

Actress Zoe Saldana and singer/activist Nina Simone

 

When it was announced that Zoe Saldana would be playing Nina Simone in a biopic, it was obvious that the casting would be problematic. A few days ago, these pictures surfaced of Saldana on set:

 

"Zoe Saldana is black, so why can't she play Nina? Is it because she's Latina?"

 

Saldana's ethnicity isn't why she's the wrong choice for the role, and as soon as the words "she's too light for the role" come out, people are ready to dismiss complaints. Her being a lighter shade of brown than the legendary singer is only the tip of iceberg of why casting directors could have picked someone different. She looks nothing like Nina Simone! The face shape, the nose, the lips--nope, nope, nope.

"It doesn't matter that they don't look exactly alike. That's what movie make-up is for."

No one is asking for someone who looks exactly like her.  How hard would it have been to find an actress who more closely resembles Nina Simone? Someone's whose face wouldn't have had to be covered in plastic and darkened with make-up? Why go with the black actress with the lighter skin tone and less defining features? It's so much deeper than that and people would rather explain it away than see the underlying issue (that definitely plays into the Hollywood trend of "light is right"--in which darker-skinned actresses have to fight harder for roles), which is...well...sad. 

"Well, maybe she was just the superior actress."

For a movie that the Simone's family didn't even authorize, maybe she was (Mary J. Blige was originally cast as lead). This is something often heard to explain mis-matched "colorblind" casting (or whitewashing in general--another topic for another day), and people need to stop using it as an excuse. Especially with so many talented actors of all races and shades running around, going unnoticed because they aren't "IT."

Seeing people actually argue about this was eye-opening to me, and I had to step out of my own head because as a black woman, I've always been exposed to the way colorism affects the community, whether people want to admit it or not.

Backing up to the film being unauthorized by Simone's family, the late singer's daughter had this to say about the casting to Ebony magazine:

"I love Zoe Saldana’s work…As an actress I respect her process, but I also know that there are many actresses out there, known or not, who would be great as my mother. One actress that I’ve had in my heart for a very long time, whose work I’m familiar with already, is Kimberly Elise. Many people have spoken to me about Viola [Davis]. I love her look. I love her energy."

So why didn't Saldana turn down the role instead of joining on the side of people claiming "reverse racism" (*eye roll*) is why people don't want her playing the part?

Is she so eager to play an icon that looks (or the family's wishes) don't matter? Or is it a money thing? She's an A-list actress right now so that's seems unlikely.

 

What do you think about the Zoe Saldana as Nina Simone controversy?

Give Me Back My Tailypo

Photo credit: Sayo24

I can’t say I’m particularly fond of being scared. I enjoy scary movies, but you will not get me into a haunted house. Do you know how long it took me to ride the Haunted Mansion at Disney? Scratch that. Do you know how long it took me get over riding the now-defunct Snow White’s Scary Adventures when I was six?

Books that fall into the horror genre aren’t really my thing. Never have been. The illustrations on Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark were enough to put me off for life. But there was a time when I decided to give them a try. Maybe if I read one, I’d find that “Hey! These aren’t so bad!”

I was in elementary school when I read this:

 

Do you see the cover of this book? Do you see how misleading this is?

The story: A hunter and his three dogs are in the woods...hunting, when he sees this weird cat-like creature with big glowing eyes and a long tail, and does the only logical thing: shoots it. Screaming, the animal runs away, leaving behind its blown-off tail that the hunter picks up, cooks, and eats for dinner.

That night, there's a rustling in his cabin in the middle of the woods, and the creature shows up at the foot of his bed, asking for its “Tailypo.” To get the thing to go away, the hunter has his dogs chase it away. Every time he does this, one dog doesn’t return. Still, he thinks it’s a good idea to send the dogs until they’re all gone. Dude.

Then it’s just the man and his gun. With only a few hours until sunrise (the Tailypo only shows up at night when it’s hard to see), he plans to make a run for it, but we all know the creepy dog-sized feline-beast is going to return. We know this! And it does, asking for its tailypo again. "Taily-po, Taily-po...all I want is my Taily-po..." At this point, the hunter knows he’s screwed. You know he’s screwed. And I’m rocking myself back and forth in a corner, crying.

In the end, the creature attacks the man. According to Wikipedia, most stories say he was flayed beyond recognition, but “less violent” tellings say all that remained of the cabin the next morning is the chimney. As someone with an extremely vivid imagination, both of those endings are equally jarring.

I thought I was in for some “scary” story that would make a spin at the end into a happy compromise for both parties. I was going to work my way into the more frightening stuff. Oh, how wrong I was...

Classic case of judging a book by its cover.

What are some of your favorite (or not-so-favorite) scary stories?

Need for Speed Week: Fast Fall Color

 

Fall is a beautiful, beautiful thing as brings with it free pine cones to use in fall crafts and the start of the holiday season that begins with Halloween and ends on my birthday in January of course. There are so many wonderful fall looks to try that starting with a great new nail color is just the ticket and you don't have to pick just one! In honor of "Need for Speed Week" try these fast drying colors; you can change your manicure as often as you change your shoes and you don't have to worry about smudges!

From left to right:

1. Wet N' Wild Fast Dry: "Party of Five Glitters, 238C" over "Ebony Hates Chris, 229"

2. Revlon Top Speed: "After Party" it shows up very blue and bright in the photo but in real life it has a much more muted grey-ed appearance, it's also my favorite of the bunch

3. Sally Hansen Insta-Dri: "Cinna-Snap", also on thumb

4. N.Y.C In a Minute New York Color: "Python Green" (3 coats)

All the colors dry to the touch in about a minute and for all except NYC the first coat was pretty full-coverage but a second coat gives it  that vroom vroom! Pick them up at your local drugstore for about five bucks or less each!

Watch This!: Motorcity

Photo credit: Black Dragon

 

As if you couldn't tell from our premiere post on Cartoon Network, we love animation! I was turned on to Motorcity a few weeks ago by my friend Kirstin, whose art will be on display in this post. 



Mike Chilton

Created by Chris Prynoski (Metalocalypse, Daria), Motorcity is an original cartoon on Disney XD. In the distant future, Detroit, Michigan has become a city of the past and a junkyard underground with fast cars and thrills galore, existing below the sleek and pristine Detroit Deluxe. Deluxe's owner has made it his main goal in life to take over the thriving ruins, but a group of rebels (called Burners), led by one of his ex-cadets, is there to protect it.

 


Chuck and Claire

Though there's a definite 3D element, the art style is nestled in clean, yet gritty 2D with hard lines and bold colors, very fitting for a show that seems to be a futuristic Fast and the Furious.

Voice talent includes Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker!) as antagonist Abraham Kane, Reid Scott (My Boys) as ex-cadet Mike Chilton, and Kel Mitchell of Nickelodeon fame; Kate Micucci (Raising Hope); Nate Torrence (She's Out of My League); and Jess Harnell (Remember Animaniacs? Wakko Warner!) as the rest of the Burners.

Old Detroit is considerably darker than Detroit Deluxe, but the two cities are what-and-what on the danger scale. While more apparent underground with gangs looking for their own power and revenge, broken down buildings, and questionable organic food; the threats on top are KaneCo's machines--some giant, some not-so-giant. Viewers are kept pumped up with revving engines, fast-paced music, exciting plotlines, and lots of screaming...from Chuck.

Motorcity is the kind of show I would have made a point to watch after school in lieu of just before doing my homework, and is enjoyable by all ages. Especially if you're into car chases, races for pink slips, and daredevil jumps that take a turbo boost just to barely make it across.

New episodes of Disney XD's Motorcity come back on October 19.

Mike, Chuck and Julie

You're Sentenced to a Lifetime of Diet + Exercise

Photo credit: Wonderfullifee

Today, we welcome Kym of Live Love Laugh Lift, who has spent the past ten months dedicated to getting in shape and figuring out what works best for her to do so. She's popping in at OffCultured to share her tips and tricks that have helped her make long-lasting changes.

 

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I used to think of exercise as punishment. Punishment for eating "bad" food and punishment for laziness. My idea about this "healthy lifestyle" was doing an exercise you hate and eating food you despise, not to mention very little of it. I often thought, "I love food too much! I could never do this!!!" Needless to say, I never succeeded with this kind of mindset. I always started out determined to make it through the torturous exercise and dreadful diet plan but would very soon after become "too busy" or "too stressed out" to continue. Things have changed since then and I can happily say that I love my new lifestyle and it's not torturous at all!

 

Here's what has helped me stay on track:

 

1) Find an exercise you love - Hate running? Hate that aerobics class you keep dragging yourself to? Don't do it! You're bound to quit sooner or later. Try out different things and see what it is you enjoy doing. Before I realized that what I actually love is lifting weights, I tried running, aerobics, cardio kickboxing, yoga, bootcamp, you name it... I've tried it!

 

2) Eat whole foods - If you're like me, you love junk food and desserts. Dieting doesn't mean you can never have a slice of cake again or never have your grandmother's deep fried chicken at the next family gathering. Clean up 90% of your diet with whole foods, lots of fruits, lots of vegetables and the other 10%, go ahead and have a treat! "Clean" eating doesn't have to be boring!

 

 

3) Keep yourself accountable - Tell your friends, tell your family, tell your Facebook fam if that's what will help you! Read my latest post for more on this: How to Stay Accountable To Your Health + Fitness Goals

 

4) Think long term - Don't go through the cycle of losing a few lbs for the summer only to gain back double of what you lost come winter time. Fitness is not a summer thing or a 2-months-before-your-wedding thing, it's a lifestyle!

 

In summary, drop the excuses, find an exercise you enjoy, be conscious of what you're eating, and stay committed. You won't regret it!

 

P.S - I just started a Facebook page, I would love to keep in touch with you there! [facebook.com/kymbantan]
 

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You can also follow Kym on Twitter @KymBantan