The topic of race and identity in America has been prevalent in the entertainment industry for many years. OITNB and The Perfect Match star Dascha Polanco weighed in on the topic recently and much more in an interview with Power 105.1’s The Breakfast Club.
The 33-year-old opened up about where she stands on topics regarding the Nina Simone biopic, featuring fellow Dominican actress Zoe Saldana. In the interview she breaks down what it is like to be Afro-Latina, challenging stereotypes and her upcoming roles.
Stressing the importance of knowing who you are in a society obsessed with labels, the star (known best for her role as “Dayanara Diaz” in Orange Is The New Black) says, “I consider myself an Afro-Latina. I think we’re very Black. I consider myself to be a Black women. I think all Dominicans should because from what I see, that’s what we are.”
Polanco also weighed in on the Nina Simone biopic. “I don’t think Zoe’s intention was to discredit Simone. But, as an actor you have to have that conversation with the director. You have to have a good team behind you and you have to say, am I doing justice to this role? Am I going to discredit Nina Simone for this role? I think there are plenty of actors that could have played the role.”
The star is set to play alongside Donald Faison in the new Billie Woodruff directed film The Perfect Match. She’s also gearing up for the summer release of Season 4 of Orange Is The New Black. Polanco eloquently dodges Charlamange Tha God‘s shade during the interview and chops it up with DJ Envy and Angela Yee in the interview, which can be seen below.
