Mary J. Blige as Nina Simone?

This is a interesting casting to say the least. I love Mary J. Blige and her voice. She has made her mark in the music industry as good vocalist, but is she an actress? I saw the movie starring her and Q-Tip which wa sin rotation only on BET, and I was not really impressed by her acting skills. I cant even recall the name of the movie. Bird Song maybe?
I think a better fit to play Nina Simone is Lauryn Hill. She has the voice, the spirit of consciousness, and that mysterious aura about her that would lend itself to make the role believable. I would even say India Arie would be a better pick for Nina Simone thanks Mary J. Blige.
Mary would really have to stretch her skills in both style of singing and acting. Nina is not a legendary because her sound was cookie cutter or easily mimicked. She was a legend because she was distinctive and a powerful civil right pioneer. I hope Mary can deliver that. If you think back to to when Diana Ross was slated to play Billie Holiday in “Lady Sing the Blues.” People were in a uproar about it. People said it was a horrible choice, both vocally and acting wise. Then what happen? Diana Ross gave a oscar nominating performance in a her dramatic film debut.
Although my initial thought is that this is not a good fit, as a Mary J. Blige fan, I hope she follows in the footsteps of Diana and knocks this role out the ballpark.

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