Zoe Saldaña, an American actress, has become a dominant force in science fiction and superhero movies. Best known for her roles in Star Trek, Avatar, and Guardians of the Galaxy, she has also received critical acclaim for her emotionally layered performances in films like Center Stage (2000) and Emilia Pérez (2024). Her role in the latter earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Early Life and Background
Saldaña spent her early years in Queens, New York, where she was raised alongside her two sisters. Her Puerto Rican mother and Dominican father spoke Spanish at home, ensuring she grew up bilingual. When she was nine, tragedy struck when her father died in a car accident, leading her family to relocate to the Dominican Republic. There, she honed her dance skills at the Ecos Espacio de Danza dance studio. At 17, she returned to New York City and joined youth theater groups, setting the stage for her future career in acting.
Breakthrough in Film
Saldaña made her television debut with two guest appearances in Law & Order (1999) before landing a lead role in Center Stage (2000), a drama centered around students at a ballet academy. She followed up that performance with supporting roles in Get Over It (2001) and Crossroads (2002), the latter starring Britney Spears. Her career gained momentum with Drumline (2002) and a small but memorable role as a pirate in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003). She also played an immigration officer in The Terminal (2004), directed by Steven Spielberg.
Rise to Stardom
In 2009, Saldaña’s career soared as she took on two iconic roles. She starred as Lieutenant Uhura in Star Trek, a modern retelling of the classic series, and portrayed Neytiri, a Na’vi warrior, in Avatar through motion capture technology. Both films were massive successes, cementing her status as a major star. She reprised her Uhura role in Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) and Star Trek Beyond (2016). Simultaneously, she joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). This role extended into Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023).
Success in Blockbusters and Drama
Beyond her blockbuster success, Saldaña diversified her roles. She starred in Death at a Funeral (2010), The Losers (2010), Colombiana (2011), and Out of the Furnace (2013). In 2014, she played Rosemary in a TV adaptation of Rosemary’s Baby. The controversy surrounding her portrayal of Nina Simone in Nina (2016) underscored her readiness to take on challenging roles. Other notable films include Live by Night (2016), I Kill Giants (2017), and the horror-comedy Vampires vs. the Bronx (2020).
Expanding into Television and Animation
Saldaña lent her voice to the animated musical Vivo (2021), featuring songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, and the TV series Maya and the Three, inspired by Mesoamerican mythology. She continued her film work with roles in Amsterdam (2022), The Adam Project (2022), and the Netflix limited series From Scratch. That same year, she starred in The Absence of Eden, playing an undocumented immigrant, a project directed by her husband, Marco Perego, whom she married in 2013. The couple has three sons.
Award-Winning Performance in Emilia Pérez
In 2024, Saldaña delivered a critically acclaimed performance in Emilia Pérez, playing a Mexican lawyer who assists a drug cartel leader seeking gender-affirming surgery. Her role required her to speak and sing in Spanish, and her powerful performance earned her a Golden Globe and an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. That same year, she starred in Lioness, a CIA thriller created by Taylor Sheridan.
With her ability to excel in action films, science fiction, and intense drama, Saldaña remains one of Hollywood’s most versatile actresses. Whether portraying fearless warriors or tackling emotionally demanding roles, she continues to captivate audiences. With future projects likely to expand her already impressive filmography, she shows no signs of slowing down.
