As I delve into Zoe Saldaña‘s remarkable journey, I can’t help but be captivated by her unwavering dedication to both her art and family. Her resilience and courage are truly inspiring, especially when one considers the multifaceted roles she juggles with grace and passion.
As Zoe Saldaña approached her 40th birthday, she came to understand something significant: She had drifted away from her inner artistic self – the “young Latina girl from Queens” who captivated in the 2000 ballet drama “Center Stage”, nurturing aspirations of becoming a leading actress. Despite achieving that status, she was still plagued by self-doubt.
As a seasoned movie critic, I must confess that I encountered a profound sense of fatigue, constantly maintaining an air of self-assuredness. This mask, however, made me question my true essence: was the art I was producing in line with this perceived confidence? And regrettably, it wasn’t.
Saldaña has been a lead actor in the top three highest-earning films ever made – “Avatar” from 2009, its sequel “The Way of Water” released in 2022, and “Avengers: Endgame” from 2019. These films occupy the first, third, and second-to-first positions on the list, respectively. She is also the first actress to have four films surpass the $2 billion mark, with “Avengers: Infinity War” being one of them. Her box office earnings in total exceed $14 billion.
Although these franchises (including three “Star Trek” films) have served as a recognizable mark for Saldaña, they’ve also functioned like a precious cocoon, granting her fame but simultaneously shielding her from tackling risky roles that could foster her acting skills. Now, thanks largely to her role in the operatic drama “Emilia Pérez,” Zoe Saldaña is eager to stretch her wings and soar.
Amidst the harsh reality of Mexico’s cartel conflicts, this narrative follows a band of women yearning for peace, with Saldaña portraying an optimistic lawyer and Karla Sofía Gascón as Emilia Pérez, a former drug lord seeking transformation after undergoing gender-affirming surgery. This production, surprisingly, is one of the most unique musicals ever brought to life.
In her monotonous workplace, Rita finds herself trapped until she encounters Emilia. United by their shared purpose, they establish a nonprofit organization aimed at rebuilding lives shattered by the drug conflicts. What caught Saldaña’s attention about Rita was her unrelenting determination, a trait that resonated deeply with the author.
In my journey, I’ve been blessed with numerous opportunities and the path to success hasn’t gone unnoticed without gratitude. However, I found myself slipping into a comfort zone, taking things for granted more than I should have. This realization came as I looked back at my career, filled with action-packed sci-fi films and thrilling stunts. Somehow, I fell into a loop of repeating sequels, and inexplicably, I became too casual about them.
She put a lot of effort into her roles in those films, always giving her best, not just going through the motions. However, after so many high-profile blockbusters, she felt her passion dwindle. If given another chance, she would improve her performances as Gamora in ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ and Uhura in ‘Star Trek’. Yet, she acknowledges that she has done what she could, but deep down, she knows there was room for improvement. That’s just her nature.
However, there were underlying factors that held Saldaña back from pursuing ground-level projects. “The difficulties I’ve faced,” Saldaña clarifies, “are related to my learning skills. I have dyslexia and anxiety, which hindered me from seriously considering roles – many roles – that I believe I could have excelled in.
Saldaña declined the chance to play a lead role in Taylor Sheridan’s military series “Special Ops: Lioness,” due to her apprehension about having to memorize extensive dialogue. However, she eventually accepted the part, which was specifically written for her, by requesting her scripts ahead of time and employing a dialogue coach to help her understand them daily via Zoom calls.
She explains how, as she learned and learned, by the time the crucial scene arrived, it felt as if it were an integral part of her identity – much like ballet. She describes the instant when her mind made the connection between learning lines as if they were a ballet pose in a dance routine, and realizing that delivering a Taylor Sheridan monologue was similar to a grand jeté.
She jokes, “Taylor causing a sudden change in a scene or inserting new dialogue is the most challenging thing for me. It’s then that I think, ‘Hold on, hold on, hold on, this feels like advanced dyslexia!’ – that could be what’s coming next.
Currently, Saldaña hasn’t been to many auditions lately – a positive aspect considering her anxiety frequently complicated the procedure. “Regardless of how much effort I put in, I would undermine myself,” she admits. “My mind wouldn’t stop bothering me.
However, “Emilia Pérez” was exactly what she had longed for – especially the opportunity to work in Spanish, as she is Afro-Latina with Puerto Rican and Dominican heritage and Spanish is her native language. Moreover, she yearned to dance again. Therefore, she was resolute in pursuing the role, which required auditioning for director Jacques Audiard, a French filmmaker, and performing live over Zoom. Following a somewhat unsteady initial attempt, Audiard granted her a second chance to perfect it. After overcoming the initial jitters, Saldaña discovered Rita’s voice.
At that moment, Audiard recognized he’d discovered the perfect fit for Rita, to such an extent that he adjusted the script for Saldaña. “Initially, Rita was meant to be 25 years old,” Audiard wrote in an email, “but when I met Zoe, I realized I had been wrong all along. In fact, my admiration grew even more after witnessing her dance live on set.
One striking moment is the captivating song “El Mal,” where Saldaña shines brightly. Her performance is fiery, encompassing singing and dancing, including a daring move of dancing atop a table, as she navigates through a bustling gala filled with the elite one-percenters, criticizing their hypocrisy. Audiard admired Zoe greatly, expressing doubt on multiple instances about its feasibility considering the project’s complexity, yet found it mesmerizing to witness its evolution. “Zoe never failed to amaze me,” Audiard stated. “I often questioned if it would pull off successfully given the intricacy of the production, but it was always captivating to observe as it progressed.
Due to her dance training, Saldaña often constructs her characters starting from within, focusing on understanding how they navigate through life. She’s exceptionally skilled at conveying emotions without words, leveraging her flexible and swift physique to bring richness to her roles. This is a trait she appreciates in actors such as Robert De Niro and Benicio del Toro – “actors who choose to use minimal words, yet their performances are remarkably deep,” she notes.
In a similar manner, Saldaña portrayed Rita as an insecure woman who tried to hide herself despite her longing to be seen. “She was someone who didn’t want to fully reveal herself,” Saldaña explains, mimicking the character’s quick movements. “However, when the stage lights dimmed and Jacques seemed to delve into her thoughts, that’s when she would let loose.
Reflecting on Saldaña, she shared, “I’ve discovered a fresh, new flame within me. ‘Emilia’ truly ignited this passion in me.
Emilia Pérez” made a splash at the Cannes Film Festival in May, receiving acclaim. Later, a surprising turn of events occurred when Saldaña and her fellow actors, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, and Gascón, were honored with the festival’s award for Best Actress as an ensemble. Now, she’s been launched into the competition for the Oscars.
Saldaña has longed for such significant recognition, and now, with ‘Emilia Pérez’, she feels she’s achieved something profound in her life. “Regardless of the outcome,” she reflects, “I want to ensure that the impact ‘Emilia Pérez’ had on me isn’t overshadowed. It provided me much, and I invested a great deal into it. If recognition comes my way, it would be a dream fulfilled; but for now, I’m just living one day at a time.
Director of the movie “Avatar,” James Cameron, believes that the recognition from awards has been delayed. He explains, “I’ve collaborated with Oscar-winning actors, and Zoe [Saldana]’s performance is not below that standard in any way. However, because in my film she’s portraying a computer-generated character, it seems to diminish its value in some people’s eyes, which I find completely baffling.
Over the past 17 years, Cameron’s admiration for Saldaña’s acting versatility has only deepened since their encounter on “Avatar.
“She can go from regal to, in two nanoseconds, utterly feral,” he says. “The woman is ferocious. She is a freaking lioness.” For the forthcoming “Avatar” film, subtitled “Fire and Ash,” Saldaña’s Neytiri is a grieving mother. It’s an arc Cameron knew she was more than prepared to handle. “Her emotional availability is like a fire hose,” he says. “It just comes through so fast and so powerfully.”
Saldaña has committed to star in two additional “Avatar” sequels, ensuring her work continues until her early fifties. Additionally, she’ll appear in Season 2 of “Lioness,” premiering on October 27, and a long-awaited fourth “Star Trek” film. However, it seems her journey with Marvel might be coming to an end, and she’s at peace with concluding her seven-year tenure with the release of “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” in 2023, ready to hand over the role to a new actor.
Saldaña expresses her hope that in the future, the role of Gamora could be played by a woman of color. She encourages the opportunity to be given to someone from diverse backgrounds and is excited to see what unique qualities a new Gamora might bring to the character. Just as she followed in Nichelle Nichols’ footsteps to portray Uhura, she hopes this will happen for the character of Gamora too.
Regarding Uhara, Saldaña expresses interest in seeing her assume a leadership role in “Star Trek 4”. Saldaña comments, “She’s an expert in xenolinguistics, but I’m intrigued to see her in a different light.” Saldaña is keen to explore the development of her character’s relationship with Spock (Zachary Quinto) and how it has progressed over time.
She’s barely holding her breath in anticipation of reading the script. “In the early years when sequels became a part of my life, I would simply live and wait,” she explains. “Now I’ve come to understand that there are so many things I desire to do. I find myself asking, ‘What else is out there?’
During this period, Saldaña teamed up with her husband, director Marco Perego Saldaña, on two films as well. Their initial project, “The Absence of Eden,” tackles immigration issues, while their second, the short film “Dovecote,” delves into the price of freedom, unfolding in a Venetian women’s prison and serving as a contemplation. Notably, they produced both films under the Cinestar Pictures banner they share with her sisters, Cisely and Mariel. Saldaña also harbors aspirations to direct, but this transition may require some additional time.
She notes that when one directs, especially a director like her or those she admires, it means living with a movie for a considerable amount of time. Her aim is to ensure that her children (Cy and Bowie, 9; and Zen, 7), are old enough to not realize she’s away.
As a cinephile, it’s become unbearably hard for me to be separated from my loved ones due to work commitments. Whenever I’m apart from them, I carry a sense of melancholy in my heart. Yet, there’s an equally heavy burden when I step away from my passion for art, feeling like I haven’t given it my best shot.
Saldaña embraces the opportunity to push beyond her comfort zone, knowing well that vulnerability can be a powerful source of strength.
Speaking candidly, she admits to feeling fearful, yet determined not to halt her personal growth and thirsty for more knowledge. Her ambition extends to collaborating with numerous filmmakers on diverse roles, ventures beyond her previous experiences. Yet, she acknowledges the journey has been worthwhile. She explains that maturity brings wisdom, and this wisdom often stems from being truthful with oneself.
Charity Spotlight: Baby2Baby
For over a decade now, Zoe Saldaña has been familiar with Baby2Baby – a non-profit organization that offers essential goods to over a million impoverished kids throughout the United States.
I found Baby2Baby’s purpose truly touching from the get-go. Co-CEOs Kelly Sawyer Patricof and Norah Weinstein show an impressive level of courage, perseverance, and dedication in their pursuit of ensuring that every child receives the basic necessities they deserve.
Since 2011, I’ve been part of the incredible movement known as Baby2Baby. As a passionate advocate for children in need, I’ve helped distribute over 450 million essential items – from diapers and formula to clothes and cribs – to kids living in homeless shelters, domestic violence programs, foster care agencies, hospitals, underprivileged schools, and disaster-stricken areas.
Through the years, Saldaña has increasingly taken on a larger role with Baby2Baby, serving as one of the organization’s representatives. The cause holds great significance to her, given she is a mother of three boys. “It’s crucial for a parent,” Saldaña explains, “to instill in their child the responsibility and accountability needed for all the change that occurs during growth.
She takes her sons to Baby2Baby events as a way to educate them about injustice and inspire action. As she puts it, “It keeps their hearts open, making them conscious of the world’s needs – needs that are often greater than what we might initially perceive.
Styling: Petra Flannery; Makeup: Vera Steimberg/Forward Artists; Hair: Mara Roszak/A Frame; Top and Skirt: Giorgio Armani Top & Skirt; Jewelry: Anita Ko
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2024-10-21 18:19