The buzz for the movie "Nina" is growing, but not for the reasons the team might have expected. A-list actress Zoe Saldana has gotten slammed for her starring role in Nina Simone's upcoming biopic, especially in the wake of the release of photos and videos of the film "Nina."

Zoe vs. Estate

According to a report from Variety, it's not just the fans who have spoken up about the controversial casting. When Saldana was first given the role in 2012, Simone's daughter, Lisa Simone Kelly, was among the protesters who pointed at the actress' lack of resemblance to the renowned Grammy nominated jazz singer, songwriter and activist.

Recently, Simone's estate has sounded off on its verified Twitter account to further express their dissatisfaction at the film's star prominent role in the movie with strong words of opposition.

"Hopefully people begin to understand this is painful," the official Twitter account wrote. "Gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, nauseating, soul-crushing. It shall pass, but for now..."

Saldana, for her part, used her own Twitter account to defend her upcoming film saying, "I'll tell you what freedom is to me -- No Fear... I mean really, no fear." She used the hashtag "#NinaSimone." To this, the estate fired back, "Cool story but please take Nina's name out your mouth. For the rest of your life."

Distributer of the film Robert L. Johnson stepped forward to defend the leading star and offer his words of support on Thursday.

"Zoë Saldana delivers an exceptional and mesmerizing tribute to Nina Simone," Johnson said in a statement. "She gave her heart and soul to the role and displayed her extraordinary talent."

It's Not Her Fault -- Nina

While Simone's daughter was outspoken about her dissatisfaction at the cast choices for the film, she clarified that the estate was not attacking Saldana as an actress.

In a recent interview with TIME, Kelly explained that she felt sorry for the "Guardians of the Galaxy" star who was being the target of much criticism.

"It's unfortunate that Zoe Saldana is being attacked so viciously when she is someone who is part of a larger picture," Kelly said. "It's clear she brought her best to this project, but unfortunately she's being attacked when she's not responsible for any of the writing or the lies."

Instead, Kelly explained that the outrage should be towards director Cynthia Mort, who has more control over the upcoming biopic. According to her, the estate and family have not been consulted for the movie and it offers a false depiction of Simone.

"Nina" is slated to hit theaters on April 22.