Winnie vs. Winnie

The biographic film Winnie is no stranger to controversy. During its casting phase there was much hullabaloo about the casting of African Americans Oscar Winner Jennifer Hudson and Oscar Nominee Terrence Howard. The two Americans play Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Nelson Mandela respectively. This, however, did not go down with many South Africans who felt that such iconic roles should be given to South African actors.

Fast forward a year or so later- Winnie is now in post-production and yet another fracas has erupted. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela herself has openly

scorned the production by calling it an insult. Her resentment towards a movie about her life stems out of the fact that the apartheid veteran was not consulted in the making of the film.

South African director James Roodt is responsible for production of Winnie and he has described the motion picture as the ultimate women’s movie and an amazing love story. Madikizela-Mandela, however, told CNN that it was disrespectful to make a movie about her struggle a romantic feature.
Madikizela-Mandela's lawyers wrote to the filmmakers last year threatening action to stop production but they went ahead. They in turn took the decision not to show Madikizela-Mandela the script.