Zoe Saldaña: Things you didn't know about this year's awards queen

A Golden Globe, British Film Award (BAFTA), a Critics Choice Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award... There's no end to the number of prizes Zoe Saldaña has already won for her supporting role in the movie 'Emilia Pérez'.

But if you think this superstar came out of nowhere, you're mistaken! Slowly but surely, Zoe Saldaña has secured her place among Hollywood's best, with roles in blockbusters like 'Avatar,' Marvel's 'Guardians of the Galaxy,' and 'Star Trek.'

So if you are wondering, 'Where have I seen Zoe Saldaña before?', then this gallery gives you the answer. Have a look at all the things you may or may not know about this spectacular actress.

Zoë Saldaña was born on June 19, 1978, in New Jersey and spent much of her early childhood in Queens, New York. She is of Dominican, Puerto Rican, Haitian, and Lebanese descent. Initially, Zoe Saldaña developed her career as a dancer, but at age 17, she turned to acting.

Her TV debut was in 1999 in the renowned series ‘Law & Order’. The episode 'Refuge (pt. 2)' of Season 9 had her appear as a minor character, Belinca.

Picture: NBC

Saldaña's first major film role was in 'Center Stage' (2000) where she played the role of Eva Rodríguez, a rebellious but talented ballet dancer. The film follows a group of young dancers at the prestigious American Ballet Academy as they compete for a spot in a top ballet company.

Photo: Columbia Pictures

The renowned Britney Spears film 'Crossroads' also featured a young Zoe Saldaña. She plays one of Spears' character's friends as they make a road trip across the United States.

Picture: MTV Films

In 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl' (2003), Zoe Saldaña played Anamaria, a fierce and skilled pirate who joins Captain Jack Sparrow’s crew. Despite her admirable performance, Saldaña did not return for later 'Pirates of the Caribbean' films.

Photo: Walt Disney Pictures

Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks and Catherine Zeta-Jones, 'The Terminal' has Saldaña in the supporting role of Dolores Torres. She is a kind and diligent immigration officer at JFK Airport who gets to deal with Viktor Navorski, a man who has just lost his nationality and gets stuck in the airport.

Picture: DreamWorks Pictures

The television drama series 'Six Degrees' (2006–2007), produced by J.J. Abrams, is based on the idea that everyone in the world is connected through six or fewer people. Saldaña played the role of Regina, a strong-willed and independent woman navigating life in New York City.

Image: Rotten Tomatoes Trailers / Youtube

Sci-fi fans may know Zoe Saldaña very well; if not for Avatar or Marvel, then for her role in the film 'Star Trek.' In 2009, she played Nyota Uhura, the communications officer of the USS Enterprise who had previously been portrayed by the iconic Nichelle Nichols.

Picture: Paramount Pictures

When the famous actress of the 1960s series died in 2022, Saldaña wrote on Instagram that she had learned a lot from her. For one, Nichols had told Saldaña to play Uhura "with all the confidence in the world."

Image: 'Star Trek' (original series) / NBC

Having played a ballerina, a pirate, a cop, and a space traveler, why not try for the role of a professional assassin? In the action thriller 'Colombiana,' produced by Luc Besson,' Zoe Saldaña is the assassin Cataleya Restrepo who seeks revenge for the murder of her parents.

Photo: EuropaCorp Distribution

You may not remember it was her because of all of the makeup! In this acclaimed James Cameron film, Zoe stars alongside stars like Sigourney Weaver and Sam Worthington. She plays Neytiri, princess of the Omaticaya clan and a fierce Na’vi warrior who falls in love with Jake Sully (Worthington). It was a big breakthrough for her and the start of a huge franchise.

Picture: 20th Century Fox

Similarly, in 'Guardians of the Galaxy', Saldaña was the woman behind Gamora, the green-skinned, deadly warrior and adopted daughter of Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Gamora later returned in several Marvel Universe films, including 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' (2017), 'Avengers: Infinity War' (2018), 'Avengers: Endgame' (2019), and 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' (2023).

Picture: Marvel Studios

In this biopic, Zoe played the role of the legendary jazz musician and civil rights activist Nina Simone. It was controversial for Saldaña, even though her performance was praised. The problem was that she had to use makeup and a prosthetic nose to look more like an African-American woman. Many considered this to be unnecessarily offensive.

Photo: Ealing Studios

According to the BBC, Saldaña apologized for her decision to take the role in a live stream on her Instagram account. "I should have never played Nina," she said. "I should have done everything in my power to cast a black woman to play an exceptionally perfect black woman."

Combining sci-fi, action, and romance, Zoe Saldaña plays a time-traveling fighter pilot who has lost her husband and colleague Adam Reed, played by Ryan Reynolds. The star-studded cast also included Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Garner, and the movie ranks as the third most-watched original Netflix film.

Photo: Netflix

Thanks to her work in famous franchises and other big productions, Zoe Saldaña is one of the highest-grossing actresses in Hollywood. According to The Daily Mail, she broke a box-office record in 2023 "that even Tom Cruise and Leonardo DiCaprio would be envious of."

"Now that the movie ['Avatar: The Way of Water'] has topped more than $2 billion at the worldwide box office, Saldana has officially starred in four of the six highest-grossing movies ever," The Daily Mail explained. "She is the first actor to enjoy this achievement thanks to her parts in 2009's Avatar, 2018's Avenger: Infinity War and 2019's Avengers: Endgame."

And now, there may be an Oscar in the stars for Zoe Saldaña, too. In the acclaimed Spanish-language drama 'Emilia Pérez', she plays Angela, a lawyer who helps a Mexican cartel leader disappear and transition into a woman. The film has gathered thirteen Oscar nominations, including one for Saldaña's supporting role.

Photo: Pathé Distribution

We can confidently say that, after a career of 25 years, Zoe Saldaña is one of the most-watched, highest-grossing, and most admired actresses today. Having broken barriers for Afro-Latina actresses in Hollywood, she may now get the recognition of an Academy Award on top of all the other honors in 2025.

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