Zoe Saldaña

Zoë Yadira Saldaña-Perego, born on June 19, 1978, is an American actress renowned for her significant contributions to science fiction film franchises. She has garnered widespread recognition for her roles in several blockbuster films, including four of the highest-grossing movies of all time: "Avatar," "Avatar: The Way of Water," "Avengers: Infinity War," and "Avengers: Endgame." Collectively, the films she has appeared in have grossed over $14 billion worldwide, making her one of the highest-grossing film actresses as of 2023. Time magazine also honored her by including her in their list of the 100 most influential people in the world in the same year.


Saldaña's artistic journey began with dance, and she received formal training in this field. She transitioned into acting, making her debut in two episodes of "Law & Order" in 1999. Her first major film role came in "Center Stage" (2000), where she portrayed a ballet dancer. She gained early acclaim for her performance opposite Britney Spears in the road film "Crossroads" (2002).
However, it was her roles as Nyota Uhura in the "Star Trek" film series and Neytiri in James Cameron's "Avatar" franchise starting in 2009 that propelled her to widespread fame. Saldaña also portrayed Gamora in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in films like "Guardians of the Galaxy" (2014) and its sequels.


Beyond her franchise work, Saldaña has showcased her versatility by starring in various other genres. In 2022, she appeared in the science fiction film "The Adam Project" and the romantic drama miniseries "From Scratch," both released on Netflix. In 2023, she embarked on a new venture by taking on the lead role of a CIA officer in the Paramount+ spy series "Special Ops: Lioness." Her diverse and impactful contributions to the world of cinema have solidified her status as one of the most prominent actresses in Hollywood.


Zoë Yadira Saldaña-Perego was born on June 19, 1978, in Passaic, New Jersey. Her heritage is mixed, with her father, Aridio Saldaña, being Dominican, and her mother, Asalia Nazario, having Dominican and partial Puerto Rican ancestry. Nazario had immigrated to New York from the Dominican Republic with her mother to escape political unrest.
Saldaña, along with her two sisters, Cisely and Mariel, grew up bilingual, speaking both English and Spanish, with Spanish being their first language at home. They spent most of their early childhood in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City.


Tragically, Saldaña's father passed away in a car accident when she was just nine years old. Following his death, her mother sent the three sisters to the Dominican Republic to be raised by their father's family, while she remained in New York to work and provide for them. Later, her mother remarried Dagoberto Galán, who became a loving stepfather to the girls.
Saldaña has spoken openly about her racial identity, stating, "There's no one way to be Black. I'm Black the way I know how to be."
During her time in the Dominican Republic, Saldaña discovered her passion for dance, particularly ballet, which she studied at the ECOS Espacio de Danza Academy. However, she eventually quit ballet due to feeling she didn't have the necessary physical attributes, such as suitable feet, and a desire for more prominent roles.


The family returned to New York City after her sophomore year, and Saldaña completed her early education at Newtown High School in Queens. She began performing with the Faces theater group in Brooklyn in 1995, participating in plays that addressed issues like substance abuse and adolescent sex. Her involvement with the New York Youth Theater led to her being recruited by a talent agency, leveraging her dance training and acting experience to secure her first film role as ballet student Eva Rodriguez in "Center Stage" (2000).


Saldaña's career gained momentum after her appearance in an episode of Law & Order in 1999, which led to her joining the Faces theater group. Her breakthrough film role came in 2000 with Center Stage, directed by Nicholas Hytner, where she portrayed a dancer at the American Ballet Academy in New York City. She followed this with a role in the popular Britney Spears film Crossroads in 2002, despite the film receiving negative reviews from critics, it was commercially successful.


In 2002, Saldaña starred in the comedy-drama Drumline alongside Nick Cannon, receiving mixed reviews for her performance. She then appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) as Anamaria, a pirate seeking retribution from Jack Sparrow. Her role in The Terminal (2004) as an immigration officer and Star Trek enthusiast influenced her portrayal in the Star Trek reboot in 2009.


Throughout the mid-2000s, Saldaña appeared in a variety of films including Constellation (2005), Guess Who (2005) alongside Ashton Kutcher, and Dirty Deeds (2005). She also starred in romantic comedy-dramas like Premium (2006) and After Sex (2007).
Saldaña ventured into television with Blackout (2007), a film set during the Northeast Blackout of 2003, which premiered at the Zurich Film Festival and aired on BET in 2008. She also had a supporting role in the action thriller Vantage Point (2008) as Angie Jones.

References

1.  Howell, Peter (December 15, 2009). "For Avatar, Star Trek actress Saldaña, a very good year". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on December 14, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2019. Zoë Saldaña [...] appreciates anyone remembering the umlaut over the 'e' in her first name. She doesn't insist upon it—she is accustomed to writers leaving it out—but this courtesy indicates to her somebody cares about the details. 'I really like the umlaut!'
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8. ^ Polowy, Kevin (August 6, 2020). "Zoë Saldaña tearfully apologises for controversial role as Nina Simone". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved April 11, 2021.
9. a b Lamb, Valerie; Dundes, Lauren, eds. (2017). "Not Haitian: Exploring the Roots of Dominican Identity". Social Sciences. MDPI. 6 (4): 132. doi:10.3390/socsci6040132.
10. ^ Dowd, Kathy Ehrich (November 3, 2015). "Zoë Saldana on the Rise of Latino Culture in America: 'We're Gonna Do Great and Better Things for Your Country'". People. Archived from the original on April 7, 2016. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
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