Zoe Saldaña

Cast · Writer · Director

Born

June 19, 1978 · Passaic, New Jersey, USA

Birth name

Zoë Yadira Saldaña Nazario

“... I will say is that my Avatar (2009) character, Neytiri, has been the most challenging of my entire career - physically, mentally and spiritually. It's the first time I played a non-human, I had to learn a different language, and it was hard to part with her at the end. No matter how intense other characters have been, I've only been in their skins for at most four months - never a year and a half.” Zoe Saldana is an American actress who found her greatest success performing in science-fiction and superhero movies. Saldana’s acting career began with small roles in television and film. She appeared in TV shows like Law & Order and films such as Center Stage (2000), where she played a ballet dancer, and Crossroads (2002), where she had a supporting role alongside Britney Spears. Her early work in films like Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) and The Terminal (2004) helped establish her as a rising star in Hollywood. Her major success came in 2009 when she starred as Neytiri in James Cameron's epic sci-fi film, Avatar. Her performance in the film, which became the highest-grossing film of all time, was widely praised. The film's groundbreaking visual effects and her role as a key character in the story were significant factors in her rise to fame. She also played Gamora, a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy, in this Marvel Cinematic Universe film. The role was well-received, and she reprised it in subsequent Marvel films, including Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and Avengers: Endgame (2019). She participated in the rebooted Star Trek series, starting with the 2009 film directed by J.J. Abrams. Her role in the franchise further solidified her status as a leading actress in major film series. Saldana starred as Cataleya Restrepo in Colombiana (2011), a skilled assassin seeking revenge for her parents' murder. The film highlighted her action-hero capabilities. She will continue her role as Neytiri in the upcoming sequels to Avatar, directed by James Cameron. The sequels are anticipated to further explore the world of Pandora.