It's more than just a skin tone/features issue. i couldn't sit through 'tears of the sun" because every time a supposedly igbo person spoke i cringed. The filmakers could not be bothered to authenticate the language much less the accent.
This will be a challenge for Thandi and i do not consider her to be among the really good 'black' actresses. And she will not get the accent right (i'm Igbo so i'll know).

As an Igbo person what i feel about this is akin to what people from the southern states of US felt when they were casting Scalet O'Hara for the classic American tale Gone with the wind. In the end the right choice was made with Vivien Leigh (even though she's Brittish).

I guess my stand is 'Dear God not Her!!!!!' if it is big names that the director is shooting for, go with Zoe Saldana, heck if it's talent go with the same person or any other black actress (perhaps Emily Njoki from the movie "first grader". Newton hasn't delivered a memorable role yet, i forget her as soon as the credits go up, so i'm trying to figure out why it's her.

Of course if the Director has more confidence in his abilities he should come down to Nigeria and cast for this role (at least then they'll be some authenticity to the accent). A better option would have been to go for a strong well known director (non-Nigerian) and use a fresh cast of Nigerians, preferably non Nollywood affiliated, that's what open cast calls are for.

PS: Chiwetel is the big name in the cast anyway not Thandi.

@posakosa. What your ex did was unusually petty (even for a guy)
but on the up side he obviously hasn't gotten over you and your best revenge is to not expend any more emotion on this guy cos he's sooooooooooooo not worth it
let him be the only one getting emotional over your break up.

Nakedboi:

I wish you were in my shoes, you could have know better, do you think this is funny? Its all about my feelings, without the help of the girl in Naija maybe i wont be here, and with the help of the girl here maybe i would have been dead by now, try feel me, aint my fault, people just giving different advices,

Hey i know you, you sound like my ex
It was always abt his feelings and while we were dating he hadn't told his ex she was an ex (cos i left him)
My friend grow a pair and tell the 9ja girl it's over, I'm sure she's got better things to do with her life than be someone's backup

@rumpy
ps: offence taken

@rumpwhatever
omg r u even nigerian and if u r have ever been to this country?
if any of the answers to the above ?s r no then you have no business even commenting on this string
u know i'm goin to stop right there and what do u mean by 'them NIGERIANs' dont let me go all Oprah Winfrey on you

@topic
yep, u can love someone and not trust them
, but I GUARANTEE you that the relationship will self destruct.
you can either get your head around trusting her (and soon) or you take a bow

HI, Willyesq the truth is that people dont wait around forever. Something similar happened to me and the guy and i still very good frnds but i will never date him. And the last time we saw i told him abt this guy i was seeing that i was madly in love with and to my suprise he was very hurt which is funny cos i got over him years back (it wasn't easy mind you)
I guess what i'm trying to say is she's not playing hard to get cos she probably has gotten over you and it will require divine intervention to get her make the same 'mistake' twice.