For a while now
, there have been lots of controversy concerning Actress and singer Zendaya
Coleman who has snagged the lead role of late 90s singer-actress Aaliyah in
Lifetime’s original movie tentatively titled Aaliyah. Ever since the biopic as well as the lead
star was announced, there has been an uproar from fans and Aaliyah’s family.
And the drama has not stopped. Zendaya who is bi-racial has been criticised for
not being “black enough” to play the “Try Again” singer. She finally gave her
opinion on that;
“A lot of people say I’m not black
enough. Half black is just enough. It doesn’t matter what color you are, it’s
about how you portray the character. For those that don’t know, Angela Bassett
and Tina Turner, they look nothing alike but she was that character so I think
that’s what it’s all about.”
Aaliyah’s family who is
unhappy about the biopic, has released a statement asking fans to protest
online.
“Aaliyah was more than a singer, she
was -and is still – an American music icon whose legacy continues to live on
and influence today’s music culture, just as Ray Charles, Notorious B.I.G.,
Selena and Johnny Cash.
Considering the magnitude of her
fans’ affection alone, she deserves to have a tribute much more grand than a
television network debut that won’t even consider the perspectives of those who
were closest to Aaliyah.
Disregarding the families and
dishonoring the legacies of celebrated figures who have passed on, big networks
want to exploit their stories for a buck. We’re here to make it clear that it’s
not okay!
Lifetime Television is trying to
dictate the status of our heroes, our heroines and – in this case – our beloved
Aaliyah. We implore everyone to call Lifetime Television, send emails and
bombard social media so they know we demand respect for our cultural icons.
We will not sit idly by while they
misrepresent and reap profits from our luminaries. There is more at stake than
the public could imagine.”
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