The issue of diversity in the U.S. has always been an issue. Back in the day, men used to play female roles and now that women play roles, people have an issue with the way they look, in particular with the color of their skin. That’s a big issue in the Latino community, especially when it comes to Afro-Latinas. They have a beautiful Afro and are amazing actresses, but people have an issue with the color of their skin, especially the light-skinned Afro-Latinas like Zoe Saldana and Jeimy Osorio.
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Zoe Saldana plays Nina Simone in the biopic called Nina and the actress came under fire when she posted a Simone quote on Twitter. The Simone Twitter replied, “Cool story but please take Nina’s name out your mouth. For the rest of your life.” The issue that they have is the color of Zoe Saldana’s skin. They think she’s too light-skinned and that someone more dark-skinned and of African-descent should have played this role instead of Saldana who is Puerto Rican and Dominican.
Harsh.
Puerto Rican actress Jeimy Osorio played Cuban singer Celia Cruz in the series Celia!, and she too is a light-skinned. “As actresses, we are blank canvasses. We give up completely our nationality and the color of our skin for every role,” said Osorio to Billboard Magazine.
She references how so many actors and actresses have played different roles. For example, Jennifer Lopez who is Puerto Rican played Selena who was Mexican American. Mario Moreno who played Cantinflas was actually a Spaniard and she who is Puerto Rican played Celia who was Cuban.
“When I was first tapped to play Celia Cruz, in the beginning there was much said about the fact that I wasn’t Cuban. Since then, I’ve had many Cubans approach me and congratulate me for the role. The fact that I was more or less dark than she was, was never issue. The key was I tried to get as close to the essence of Celia, even though we weren’t the same.”
When she played the role they also darkened her skin even though their coloring was similar. They also plucked her brows and asked her to gain weight, created a gap between her teeth with orthodontics, they broadened her nose and even changed the shape of her lips.
“Each of my roles has prepared me for the next, and I don’t feel any of them have been denigrating toward my race,” she said. They are all characters that represent her with dignity and she’s been able to carry her essence, wear her Afro with pride.