Zoe Saldana is an actress and dancer from the United States who rose to prominence after starring in blockbuster films such as “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” “Star Trek,” “Star Trek Into Darkness,” and “Avatar.” Saldana began her career as a stage artist after training as a ballet dancer. She appeared in a number of plays for FACES and the New York Youth Theatre Group before making her big screen debut in the film “Center Stage.” Saldana has had a lot of success thus far, with a string of top-grossing films around the world. Her versatility sets her apart from other actresses of her time. Saldana hasn’t stuck to a single genre and has been featured in films that cover a wide range of topics, from romantic comedy to tragedy, science fiction to action, fiction to drama, and so on. Her hard attention and steadfast mentality have allowed her to play such a diverse range of personalities. Zoe Saldana is a successful businesswoman in addition to being a star in her own right. She owns multiple restaurants, as well as a fragrance and clothing business and a vodka brand.
Childhood and Adolescence
Aridio Saldana and Asalia Nazario had Zoe Saldana on June 19, 1978 in Passaic, New Jersey. She has three siblings: Cisely and Mariel, two sisters, and Nipo, a half-brother.
She was born Zoe Yaddira Saldana Nazario to a mixed-race family; her father is from the Dominican Republic, and her mother is from Puerto Rico.
Zoe Saldana grew up in Queens, New York’s Jackson Heights neighborhood. She was bilingual as a child, speaking both English and Spanish fluently.
Her father died in a vehicle accident when she was nine years old. As a result, she and her two sisters, as well as her mother, relocated to the Dominican Republic to live with her grandparents.
Zoe Saldana acquired her passion and love for dance in the Dominican Republic. She quickly enrolled at ECOS Espacio de Danza Academy, where she was taught a variety of dance styles. Her first love turned out to be ballet.
Career of Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana returned to New York City after finishing her second year of high school. She joined the FACES theatre group in Brooklyn in 1995. She began performing in plays with the ensemble that dealt with issues such as substance misuse and adolescent sexuality. In addition, she began performing with the New York Youth Theatre organization.
Her outstanding performance in the New York Youth Theatre group’s production of ‘Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat’ landed her a spot at a talent agency. She made her television debut in the legal drama ‘Law & Order’ in the episode ‘Merger’ in 1999.
Her ballet background and acting experience helped her land her first major film job. It was in the film ‘Center Stage,’ in which she played Eva Rodriguez, a gifted and determined dance student. In the year 2000, the picture was released.
In 2002, she starred in the films ‘Crossroads’ and ‘Drumline,’ a comedy-drama. In 2003, she reprised her role as Anamaria, a female pirate in the blockbuster film “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.”
The release of her three films, ‘The Terminal,’ ‘Haven,’ and ‘Temptation,’ in 2004 was a productive year for her.
She appeared in four films between 2005 and 2006, including ‘Constellation,’ ‘Guess Who,’ ‘Dirty Deeds,’ and ‘Premium.’ She played the female lead in the films ‘Guess Who’ and ‘Premium.’ She acted with Ashton Kutcher in the former and as Dorian Missick’s romantic interest in the latter.
Saldana’s career reached its pinnacle in 2009, with the films ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Avatar.’ The critics and the public both praised her acting abilities.
She appeared in four films in 2010: “The Losers,” “Takers,” “Death at a Funeral,” and “Burning Palms.” In the same year, she debuted in advertising with Calvin Klein’s ‘Envy’ range.
Her two films were released in 2011: ‘The Heart Specialist,’ a romantic comedy, and ‘Columbiana,’ a crime drama. ‘The Words,’ a romantic drama film released in 2012, was her follow-up.
In 2013, she returned to the character of Nyota Uhura in the next installment of the Star Trek franchise, ‘Star Trek Into Darkness.’ The following year, she portrayed Gamora in the blockbuster ‘Guardians of the Galaxy.’ ‘Rosemary’s Baby,’ a television miniseries, also featured her.
Her upcoming projects include resuming her role as Neytiri in ‘Avatar 2’, which is set to hit theaters in 2017.
Major Projects of Zoe Saldana
Her career reached its pinnacle in 2009, when she starred in the films ‘Star Trek’ and ‘Avatar.’ She had prominent roles in both films as Nyota Uhura and Neytiri, respectively. ‘Star Trek’ made around $385 million at the movie office, whereas James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ made $2.788 billion.
Saldana reprised her role of Nyota Uhura in the 2009 Star Trek franchise film ‘Star Trek Into Darkness.’ The film grossed $467 million worldwide, making it the Star Trek franchise’s highest-grossing picture.
Achievements & Awards
In 2009, she received her first award from the Boston Society of Film Critics for the film ‘Star Trek,’ in the category of ‘Best Ensemble Cast.’
For her work as Neytiri in James Cameron’s film ‘Avatar,’ she won many accolades in the ‘Best Actress’ category in 2010. ‘Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films,’ ‘Empire Awards,’ ‘Saturn Awards,’ and ‘Teen Choice Movie Actress – Sci Fi’ are among the honors. Her character Neytiri also won the Visual Effects Society Award for
Outstanding Animated Character in a Live Action Feature Motion Film.
She won the Teen Choice Movie Actress – Action award in 2012 for her role in ‘Columbiana.’
Personal History and Legacy
Keith Britton, an actor and the CEO of My Fashion Database, was Zoe Saldana’s boyfriend. After becoming engaged in 2010, the couple split up the following year, ending their 11-year relationship.
She was in a relationship with actor Bradley Cooper from December 2011 to January 2013.
In March 2013, she began dating Marco Pergo, an Italian artist. The couple married in June 2013 and welcomed twin sons Bowie Ezio and Cy Aridio into the world in November 2014.
Estimated Net Worth
Zoe Saldana has a net worth of $275 million dollars.
Trivia
She received martial arts, archery, and horseback riding instruction for her part as Nyota Uhura in the Star Trek series.
She is a celebrity advocate of the microfinance charity FINCA International.