It’s been a long and arduous road to get here, but the Nina Simone biopic Nina is finally on its way. The Zoe Saldana-starring movie follows Simone’s esteemed career, focusing specifically on her time spent living in France, when she struggled to strike a balance between her music and political activism. If the trailer is any indication, the film will be a journey of ups and downs, all helmed by first-time director Cynthia Mort.

And you can watch that trailer right here:

We say “finally” when talking about Nina‘s release because the film’s been in the works for a while, facing various roadblocks along the way. Back in 2010, Mary J. Blige was going to star in the movie, but was unable to follow through after a delayed shooting schedule led to conflicts with her own schedule. When Saldana was attached to the film, one YouTube user echoed the sentiments of many detractors, saying it is “super-disrespectful to cast an ethnically ambiguous person to portray a woman who battled the industry’s distaste for her dark skin, and her natural hair and her thick features.” Even Simone’s daughter, Simone Kelly, wasn’t feeling the movie.

Despite the haters, the show went on, and the public will get to see the results when the movie opens in theaters and Video On Demand on April 22.

What do you think of the casting choice? Let us know in the comments if it’s “super-disrespectful” or if you think Saldana was a fair choice to portray the music legend.

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HT: Entertainment Weekly
IMAGE: Ealing Studios