Zoe Saldana is a Hollywood icon. With so many different movies and TV shows in her acting portfolio, she’s made a name for herself as a talented and iconic actress. She’s one of the best in the business, and her legendary projects are perfect proof.
She’s become globally recognized after her role as fearless Neytiri in the blockbuster film Avatar. True fans remember her from the coming-of-age 1990s movie Crossroads. And for Marvel fans, she will always be known as strong-willed Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. But other than her undeniable acting talent, there’s so much more to Saldana. So here are eight things you probably didn’t know about her.
1. Zoe Saldana Has Many Iconic Movies Under Her Belt
Saldana has an impressive and incredibly long portfolio. She’s primarily known for her roles in sci-fi movies, such as Avatar, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Avengers. She is one of the few actresses to have appeared in all three of the highest-grossing films of all time (the above-mentioned movies). Other than these movies, Saldana has also starred in other popular sci-fi movies such as the Star Trek series and The Adam Project. But the gifted actress has also done other genres, starring in the romantic drama miniseries From Scratch, biography drama Nina, and teen-comedy drama Crossroads. Other notable projects include Death at a Funeral, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Amsterdam, The Losers, and more.
2. Zoe Saldana Is Afro-Latina
Most people think that Zoe Saldana is African-American, but she’s actually Afro-Latina. Saldana is of mixed race, with Dominican and Puerto Rican heritage. She describes herself as she is 3/4 Dominican and 1/4 Puerto Rican. Saldana was born in New Jersey and spent the majority of her childhood in Queens, New York. She is bilingual and speaks fluent English and Spanish.
3. She Is Married With Three Kids
Saldana is married to Italian artist Marco Perego who took her last name upon marriage, just like she took his. The actress is now Zoë Saldaña-Perego and Marco became Marco Perego-Saldaña. The couple has three children together whose last names will be Saldaña-Perego. Since they live in a multilingual household, the kids will likely speak three languages – English, Spanish, and Italian.
4. Her First Job Was at Burger King
Zoe Saldana had a long to go before becoming one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actress and an A-list celebrity. In fact, Zoe Saldana’s first job as a teenager was in the international fast food chain restaurant Burger King. She recalls, “When I was in my teens, I had a job at Burger King, which I really enjoyed. Then one day, I was in the middle of a transaction and realized I didn’t enjoy it anymore. I said to the manager there and then, ‘Can you finish this?’ and quit.”
5. She Has a Celebrity Doppelganger
Some celebrities have doppelgangers who are not famous. But Zoe Saldana actually has a famous doppelganger who bears a striking resemblance to her. It’s the talented Thandie Newton. The two stunning actresses often get confused with one another. As Saldana said in an interview, even her mom can’t tell the difference. She said, “My mom still thinks that I’m in Westworld. I’m like, ‘Years ago, you thought that I was in Traffic.‘ I’m like, ‘Mom, you did not give birth to Thandie Newton.”
6. She Went Through Intense Preparation for Avatar
Not only did Saldana have to learn motion-capture techniques for Avatar, but she also had to go through rigorous training to prepare for Avatar: The Way of Water. From diving and martial arts to archery and horse riding, Avatar required intense preparation from Saldana. She even had to hold her breath underwater for five minutes because of one scene in the movie. She recalls, “We trained with these amazing free divers that he surrounded us with. And I went from thinking that that was completely impossible for me to obtain to holding my breath for close to five minutes, and like a quarter.”
7. Zoe Saldana Is a Sci-Fi Geek
Given her portfolio, Saldana gained a reputation in Hollywood for being the queen of the sci-fi genre, and she is totally fine with it. She even considers herself a sci-fi geek who’s always been drawn to nerdy projects. She says, “I loved stories that helped me escape, and those happened to be the stories that fall into the category of geekiness. So, therefore, I am a proud geek!”
8. She Is a Trained Dancer
An interesting fact about Zoe Saldana is that she’s more than just a talented actress, she’s also a trained dancer. Ballet dancing was her first passion, but she studied various dance forms and styles. She even took on the role of a ballerina in the 2000 movie Center Stage, where she played a struggling ballerina who needs to overcome her insecurities and learn to trust her instructors to succeed.