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Zoe Saldaña

Acting

Born June 19, 1978 · Passaic, New Jersey, USA

Also known as Zoë Saldana · Zoë Saldaña · Zoe Yadira Saldaña-Perego

Biography

Zoë Yadira Saldaña-Perego (/sɑːlˈdænjə/ sahl-DAN-yə, Latin American Spanish: [ˈso.e salˈdaɲa]; née Saldaña Nazario; born June 19, 1978) is an American actress. Known primarily for her work in science fiction film franchises, she has starred in four of the seven highest-grossing films of all time, including the top three (Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Avengers: Endgame). Films she has appeared in have grossed more than $15 billion worldwide, and, as of 2024, she is the second highest-grossing lead actress and the highest-grossing actress overall.  Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2023. A trained dancer, Saldaña began her on-screen acting career in 1999 with a guest role in Law & Order. Her first film role was in Center Stage(2000), where she played a ballet dancer. She received early recognition for her work opposite Britney Spears in the road film Crossroads (2002). Beginning in 2009, Saldaña achieved a career breakthrough with her roles as Nyota Uhura in the Star Trek reboot film series and Neytiri in James Cameron's Avatar film series. She portrayed Gamora in five films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, from Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) to Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023). In addition to franchise work, Saldaña has starred in the science fiction film The Adam Project and the romantic drama miniseries From Scratch, both for Netflix in 2022. In 2023, she began playing the lead role of a CIA officer in the Paramount+ spy series Lioness. In 2024, Saldaña starred in the musical crime film Emilia Pérez, for which she received several accolades, including the Academy Award, BAFTA Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress. Description above from the Wikipedia article Zoe Saldaña, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Awards & recognition

  • Academy AwardBest Supporting Actress · 2025
  • BAFTA AwardBest Actress in a Supporting Role · 2025
  • Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres · 2024
  • Golden Globe AwardBest Supporting Actress – Motion Picture · 2024
  • Time 100 · 2023
Show all 8 awards →
  • Max Mara Face of the Future Award · 2010
  • star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
  • Academy AwardBest Supporting Actress · 2025 · nominated

Filmography50+ titles

Avengers: Endgame

2019as Gamora

Avengers: Infinity War

2018as Gamora

I Ain't Scared of You: A Tribute to Bernie Mac

2012as Self

Lioness

2023as Joe McNamara

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

2023as Gamora

Maya and the Three

2021as Princess Maya (voice)

Guardians of the Galaxy

2014as Gamora

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

1999as Gabrielle Vega

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

2003as Anamaria

Avatar: Fire and Ash

2025as Neytiri

From Scratch

2022as Amy Wheeler

Avatar: The Way of Water

2022as Neytiri

Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2

2017as Gamora

Avatar

2009as Neytiri

Amazing Saturday

as Self

Unity

2015as Narrator (voice)

The Book of Life

2014as Maria (voice)

Marvel Studios: Legends

2021as Gamora (archive footage) (uncredited)

Love, Antosha

2019as Self

For the Love of Spock

2016as Self

Star Trek

2009as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura

The Terminal

2004as Torres

Vivo

2021as Rosa (voice)

My Little Pony: The Movie

2017as Captain Celaeno (voice)

Star Trek Into Darkness

2013as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura

Law & Order

1990as Belinca

Avatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/20

2022as Self

The Graham Norton Show

2007as Self

Gordita Chronicles

2022Executive Producer

Hot Ones

2015as Self

The Adam Project

2022as Laura

Ask the StoryBots

2016

MPower

Executive Producer

The Real History of Science Fiction

as Self

Elio

2025as Olga Solís (voice)

Missing Link

2019as Adelina Fortnight (voice)

Drumline

2002as Laila

Center Stage

2000as Eva Rodríguez

Fire and Water: Making the Avatar Films

as Self - "Neytiri"

James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction

2018as Self

Star Trek Beyond

2016as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura

The Bluff

2026Executive Producer

The Words

2012as Dora Jansen

Infinitely Polar Bear

2014as Maggie

Out of the Furnace

2013as Lena Taylor

Colombiana

2011as Cataleya Restrepo

Emilia Pérez

2024as Rita

Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

2023as Self - 'Gamora'

Lip Sync Battle

2015as Self

Vantage Point

2008as Angie Jones