During a recent appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Mary J. Blige revealed her long-standing desire to star in a biopic about Nina Simone. The New York native shared that she has always wanted to play the legendary singer and even expressed her eagerness to learn how to play the piano, citing her admiration for Simone’s dark and moody songs.
It was reported by Rated RnB that as early as 2006, Blige was in talks to portray Simone in a film, but the project faced budget issues and delays, leading to Zoe Saldana taking on the role in the 2016 film Nina. Saldana later expressed regret for accepting the role in 2020.
