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Michaela Coel Would Play Nina Simone, Under This One Condition

After months of discussion on social media about Michaela Coel's resemblance to Nina Simone, the actress finally addressed what it would take to play the iconic singer.
Micheala Coel image side by Nina Simone image
Photos by Getty Images 

Michaela Coel, creator and star of comedy Chewing Gum, is a woman of many talents. While the BAFTA award-winner gained attention for her roles on television, fans would like to see her on the big screen as Nina Simone. For months, people on Twitter have been discussing how the 31-year-old resembles the acclaimed singer and were calling on her to portray Simone in a future role.

In a recent interview with BET, the actress addressed the resemblance and idea of playing the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recipient. “It’s funny, I chose ‘Strange Fruit’ by Nina Simone for my audition piece to Drama School,” Coel said. “And only after that people started saying ‘you look like her’ and then I looked at pictures and said, ‘Oh my God, I do.’”

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Adding, “I’ve always had a connection to Nina Simone. But I respect her and her family so much that I would only do that if they were [asking] me to do it.”

Nina, the Simone biopic released in 2016 garnered harsh reviews largely due to actress Zoe Saldana accepting the role. For the film, Saldana was put in darkened makeup and prosthetics in an attempt to look like the “Feeling Good” singer. Simone Kelly, Simone’s daughter, told Time that she didn’t think Saldana was the “proper choice, appearance-wise” to play her mother.

“There are many superb actresses of color who could more adequately represent my mother and could bring her to the screen with the proper script, the proper team and a sense of wanting to bring the truth of my mother’s journey to the masses,” Kelly said.

Saldana also faced a public criticism by Simone’s estate on Twitter, after the actress posted a Nina Simone quote. Simone’s official account responded to Saldana, asking her to “please take Nina’s name out of your mouth.”

Despite her strong personal feelings, Coel said, “I’m not gonna be looking to play Nina Simone as if she were a character and not a human being, a legend. A fragile legend gone before her time.”

Adding, “When her daughter tells me, ‘I need you to go play Nina Simone,’ that’s when I’ll play her. Up and ‘til then, Twitter and Instagram can tell me to go play Nina Simone, but you don’t know Nina Simone. You don’t know her, you’re not related to her. It’s her blood that’s left on this planet that I will listen to. Until then it doesn’t factor into my mind.”