Zoe Saldaña facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Zoe Saldaña
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Zoe Saldaña at a film festival in 2024
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| Born |
Zoë Yadira Saldaña Nazario
June 19, 1978 Passaic, New Jersey, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Marco Perego-Saldaña
(m. 2013) |
| Children | 3 |
| Awards | Full list |
Zoe Saldaña is a famous American actress and former dancer. Her full birth name is Zoë Yadira Saldaña Nazario. She has starred in some of the biggest movie adventures in cinema history. Viewers around the world know her for playing amazing heroes in space and fantasy stories. She played Nyota Uhura in the Star Trek reboot film series. She also plays the tall alien hero Neytiri in the popular Avatar film series. Many superhero fans know her as the green-skinned warrior Gamora in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Because these movies were huge hits, she is one of the highest-earning movie stars in history.
Saldaña is known for her energetic acting and strong physical skills on screen. She studied dance for many years before stepping in front of cameras. She has won major awards, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress. The popular publication Time listed her among the 100 most influential people in the world. Zoe inspires many young people who dream of performing on stage and screen.
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Early Life and Growing Up
Zoë Yadira Saldaña Nazario was born on June 19, 1978, in Passaic, New Jersey. Her father Aridio was from the Dominican Republic, and her mother Asalia had roots in both the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Zoe grew up speaking both English and Spanish in a busy home with two sisters named Cisely and Mariel. Most of her early childhood was spent in Jackson Heights, a neighborhood in Queens, New York City.
When Zoe was nine years old, her father passed away in an automobile accident. To help the children, her mother sent Zoe and her sisters to live with family in the Dominican Republic. Her mother worked very hard in New York to pay for private school tuition for her daughters. Later, her mother married Dagoberto Galán, whom Zoe and her sisters lovingly look up to as a father.
While living in the Caribbean, Saldaña discovered a deep love for artistic movement. She joined the ECOS Espacio de Danza Academy, where she practiced many styles of dance. Her favorite style was classical ballet, though she later realized she wanted a broader creative path. After her second year of high school, her family returned to New York City to avoid political problems in the region. She finished her high school classes at Newtown High School in Queens.
In New York, Zoe joined local youth acting teams, including the Faces theater group in Brooklyn. She also acted in a production of the musical Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. A talent agency spotted her acting talent and signed her up for professional auditions. Her background in ballet and stage acting helped her earn her first movie role.
How Zoe Saldaña Became a Movie Star
First Screen Roles (1999–2008)
Saldaña began acting on television in 1999 with a small appearance on the television drama Law & Order. In 2000, she made her film debut in Center Stage, directed by Nicholas Hytner. The story followed students working hard at a ballet school. Her real dancing experience made her a great fit for the role.
Soon after, she appeared alongside pop singer Britney Spears in the teen road movie Crossroads in 2002. That same year, she played a student in the musical comedy Drumline alongside actor Nick Cannon.
Big adventure roles quickly followed. In 2003, she played the pirate Anamaria in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Her character sailed on ships and confronted pirate captain Jack Sparrow. In 2004, director Steven Spielberg cast her as an airport worker in The Terminal. During filming, Spielberg showed her how to perform the famous Vulcan salute gesture. That fun moment helped prepare her for a massive science fiction job a few years later.
Between 2005 and 2008, Zoe worked across many different genres. She acted with Ashton Kutcher in the comedy Guess Who. She acted in independent dramas like Constellation, Dirty Deeds, and Premium. She also had a role in the thriller Vantage Point. Zoe worked continuously to build her acting skills.
Journey to Blockbusters and Global Fame (2009–2019)
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The year 2009 changed Zoe Saldaña's career completely. Director J. J. Abrams picked her to play communications officer Nyota Uhura in the film Star Trek. Zoe spoke directly with original actress Nichelle Nichols to understand the historic role. The movie was a huge hit that brought in over $385 million worldwide.
Later that same year, director James Cameron released the groundbreaking science fiction adventure Avatar. Saldaña played Neytiri, an agile hunter from the planet Pandora. Zoe used performance capture technology, wearing special gear so computers could match her facial expressions and jumps. The film became the highest-grossing film of all time, earning over $2.7 billion around the world. It won praise from audiences and earned high ratings on Rotten Tomatoes. Saldaña won a Saturn Award for Best Actress for her work, a rare honor for an animated, digital character.
Saldaña took on physical action parts in movies like The Losers and Colombiana. She also did comedies such as Death at a Funeral. In 2013, she returned to space as Uhura in Star Trek Into Darkness. She even voiced the character for the Star Trek video game.
In 2014, Saldaña joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy. Instead of computer graphics, she wore green makeup applied by hand every morning. The film was praised by critics and fans, earning Saldaña an award nomination for Best Actress in an Action Movie from the Critics Choice Awards.
Zoe returned to play Gamora in several Marvel adventures, including Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 in 2017. She played the hero again in Avengers: Infinity War in 2018 and the massive blockbuster Avengers: Endgame in 2019. In 2016, she went back to outer space in Star Trek Beyond. She also voiced a brave parrot pirate named Captain Celaeno in the animated movie My Little Pony: The Movie. On May 3, 2018, her hard work was celebrated with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Recent Projects and Award Success (2020–present)
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Zoe continued to explore voice roles, playing characters in the animated musical Vivo and the fantasy miniseries Maya and the Three. She also acted in the time-travel family movie The Adam Project alongside drama films.
In 2022, she returned to the world of Pandora in Avatar: The Way of Water. For the film, she trained to hold her breath underwater for long periods. She also sang "The Songcord" for the film's soundtrack. In 2023, she played Gamora for the final time in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. That year, she also starred on television in the spy drama series Lioness.
Saldaña took on a bold drama role in the 2024 musical film Emilia Pérez. Her performance earned huge critical praise. She shared the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress with her cast members. Zoe went on to win the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture, and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. This historic win made her the first Dominican American actress to take home an Oscar.
She voiced character Olga Solís in the Pixar animated movie Elio. With the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash, Zoe officially became the highest-grossing actress in movie history.
Personal Life and Community Work
In 2013, Zoe married Italian artist Marco Perego in London. After they married, both took each other's last names to become Zoë Saldaña-Perego and Marco Perego-Saldaña. They are raising three sons together. Because their family is multicultural, the children grow up speaking English, Spanish, and Italian at home.
Zoe manages an autoimmune condition called Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which also affects other members of her family. To stay healthy and energetic, she and her family eat balanced meals free of gluten and dairy.
Outside of acting, Saldaña works hard to support communities. She supports FINCA International, an organization that helps families start small businesses. In 2017, she started BESE, a digital media company that highlights uplifting stories about Latino heroes, artists, and leaders. She also uses her social media to encourage citizens to vote and participate in democratic elections. Zoe speaks out for peace and understanding across different cultures around the world.
Selected Film and Television Highlights
- Center Stage (2000) – Eva Rodriguez
- Crossroads (2002) – Kit
- Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) – Anamaria
- The Terminal (2004) – Dolores Torres
- Star Trek (2009) – Nyota Uhura
- Avatar (2009) – Neytiri
- The Book of Life (2014) – María Posada (voice)
- Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) – Gamora
- Star Trek Beyond (2016) – Nyota Uhura
- My Little Pony: The Movie (2017) – Captain Celaeno (voice)
- Avengers: Endgame (2019) – Gamora
- Missing Link (2019) – Adelina Fortnight (voice)
- Vivo (2021) – Rosa Hernández (voice)
- The Adam Project (2022) – Laura Shane
- Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) – Neytiri
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023) – Gamora
- Emilia Pérez (2024) – Rita Mora Castro
- Elio (2025) – Olga Solís (voice)
- Avatar: Fire and Ash – Neytiri
Theme Park Attractions
Fans can experience Zoe Saldaña's acting as Gamora at famous theme parks:
- Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission Breakout! at Disney California Adventure
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Epcot
See Also
In Spanish: Zoe Saldaña para niños
- List of highest-grossing actors
- List of Afro-Latinos
