I am Afro Latino myself So I totally understand the Black in Race ...Latino in Culture ...There is so many people who do not know that There were more Slaves in the Carribbean Island than in America...but we Latino don't make it any better when we keep shouting "I'm Latino, I'm not Black" so basically you distancing yourself not knowing the only true thing that separates you from black people is Food, Language and Your Last Name...the struggle is still same....

However I usually rock with my Afro Latino and yes I agree about the standards of beauty, BUT if you listen to Jazz and Soul in depth you would know who Nina Simone is she wasn't a Superstar on level of Whitney Houston but that doesn't diminish her international influence, her being an artist you have to discover adds to her value

About the casting, Zoe Saldana who is very talented and beautiful seems to be a little oblivious to this point ...The studio seemed to went out of its way to hire you...There so many "Ready Made Actresses" who already possesses the Nose, The Skin Tone and the demeanor of Nina Simone without all of the heavy prosthetics and make up...Nicki Mauchnex (The Mother on "Lincoln Heights) is a perfect match...

Of Course Zoe Saldana is going to defend herself because as an Actress, you don't want anyone to say you are not qualified for a role but you have ask yourself did they hire me because I'm A List Actor, Because of my Skin Tone or because they wanna see Pretty Girl play Dress up with the Dark Side (which is Beautiful but not by Hollywood Standards)

Biopics are very Senstive and Emotion Driven movies and automatically come with Critics...Because Producer wanna go with High Profile stars, we barely get Angela Bassett as Tina Turner, Jennifer Lopez as Selena... All who where not Hollywood popular at the time...sometimes getting a known actress throws it off because their off camera personality or other high profile roles blind side the audience....but hey I'm all Cried out at this Point...thanks for reading my Novel lol