Giuliana Rancic Apologizes For Weed Comment About Zendaya's Locs At The Oscars

E! host Giuliana Rancic has apologized to Disney actress Zendaya Coleman after comments the presenter made about the teenage star's hairstyle at the Oscars backfired. The E! presenter said Zendaya looked like she smelled like weed while critiquing Zendaya's Oscar red carpet look and faux dread locks during Fashion Police Oscar episode.

Guiliana told the panel "Zendaya looks like she “smells like patchouli oil… or maybe weed.” Since the comments aired yesterday, many on social media called out the previously beloved host. On twitter, many posited that the comment was racially insensitive. Giuliana apologized after Zendaya took to instagram to explain why she wore her hair in locks, and saying she felt racially stereotyped by the comments. See the apology and Zendaya's note below...

Alexandra Shipp Replaces Zendaya in Aaliyah Movie, Wendy Williams Named Executive Producer

The show must go on I guess. A new actress will now be playing the role of Aaliyah, in the Lifetime biopic about the late singer’s life. Nickelodeon actress Alexandra Shipp will replace singer/actress Zendaya, who quit earlier this month [read here].

The news was announced Friday, by Wendy Williams, who shared the news with her audience on the Wendy Williams Show, telling them;

You can count on us to get it right!

Wendy Williams who will be executive producing the made for TV movie shared her exciting news tweeting:

Zendaya Is No Longer Involved in The Aaliyah Lifetime Movie

17-year-old Zendaya has backed out of her starring role in the Lifetime movie about late R&B singer Aaliyah, and is "no longer involved" in the project", a rep for the actress has confirmed today. The role may be recast or Lifetime may drop the entire movie.

The news of her departure comes less than two weeks after it was first announced that Zendaya would play the role of Aaliyah in the Lifetime biopic, tentatively titled "Aaliyah: Princess of R&B."

Zendaya had tried to push back to those who felt she should not play the singer, saying she was "black enough" since she had a African American dad. I guess those critics won.

Production was scheduled to begin this summer, and the network hoped for a fall release. But complications, and a new search for the lead, might warrant a push-back for the film.

Zendaya Insists She’s “Black Enough” For The Role of Aaliyah in Lifetime Movie

Zendaya Coleman  is to star and perform as Aaliyah in the Lifetime Original Movie but not everyone is happy about that. I got to know Zendaya as a very talented young lady during the last season of Dancing With the Stars, and I feel she could do the job.

however, many have criticized the producers of the movie for casting Zendaya beacuse they feel she appears too mixed-race to play Aaliyah, others say she is too light-skinned, period. Zendaya has gone on Twitter to respond to such criticisms of the movie which is based on the book, Aaliyah: More Than a Woman.

The 17-year-old Disney actress has also answered in more detail in a video obtained by TMZ. She said, while bringing her father into the camera;

“A lot of people say I’m not Black enough. Half Black is just enough. It doesn’t matter what color you are, it’s about how you portray the character. For those that don’t know, Angela Bassett and Tina Turner, they look nothing alike but she was that character so I think that’s what it’s all about.”