Controversial Nina Simone Biopic Gets First Poster with Zoe Saldana As 'Sinner Man' Singer

It's been almost two years since the first time audiences got a glimpse of Zoe Saldana's rendition of Nina Simone, when Nina was first screened at the Cannes Film Festival, but the controversy over whitewashing has kept the movie from release this whole time. The film will finally come out this spring, and there's a new poster to showcase Saldana's look as the iconic "Sinner Man" singer.

The poster for the film was released through Entertainment Weekly, barely a day after the Netflix doc What Happened, Miss Simone? lost out the feature documentary Oscar last Sunday to Amy, as new interest sparked regarding Simone's fascinating life.

While the concept of a Simone biopic is all but fascinating, fans and activists have protested the execution of the project for years over one simple but vital reason: Saldana's skin color is several shades lighter than Simone's was.

See a poster for Zoe Saldana-starring Nina Simone biopic: https://t.co/8nsaC83oZl pic.twitter.com/oif5Q00voR

— Entertainment Weekly (@EW) March 1, 2016

Vulture reports that many people, including Simone's daughter Lisa, called to have someone who had a skin color closer to Simone's, such as Viola Davis, cast in the role. The film sparked even more controversy when set pictures showed that Saldana, whose ethnic background is that of a Caribbean Afro-Latina, had actually worn black face on the film as well as prosthetics to widen her nose.

In a time when some of the biggest names in Hollywood boycotted the Oscars over lack of diversity in the acting categories, whitewashing the skin color of one of the most iconic figures in the black power movement feels quite like a slap in the face.

Because of the numerous racial issues it has faced, the finished film has stayed dormant for years because of the controversy, and has only now been brought back over new interest for Simone over the recent Oscar-nominated film.

Nina will finally hit theaters and VOD on April 22, starring Saldana and Selma actor David Oyelowo.