Zoe Saldaña (born Zoë Yadira Saldaña Nazario) is a highly accomplished American actress recognized as one of the highest-grossing actors in film history.
She is known for her iconic roles in major franchises such as Avatar, Star Trek, and Guardians of the Galaxy. She won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Emilia Pérez and continues to deliver powerful performances across genres.
Essential Data
- Full Name: Zoë Yadira Saldaña Nazario
- Stage Name: Zoe Saldana
- Born: June 19, 1978
- Age: 47 years old
- Birthplace: Passaic, New Jersey, United States
- Nationality: American
- Ethnicity: Dominican-Puerto Rican
- Occupation: Actress, Producer
- Height: 170 cm
- Religion: Christianity
- Parents: Aridio Saldaña and Asalia Nazario
- Siblings: Cisely Saldaña and Mariel Saldaña
- Spouse: Marco Perego-Saldaña
- Children: Cy Aridio Perego-Saldaña, Bowie Ezio Perego-Saldaña, Zen Anton Perego-Saldaña
- Relationship: Married
- Net Worth: $60 million USD
Early Life and Education
Zoe Saldaña was born on June 19, 1978, in Passaic, New Jersey, United States. She was raised by her parents, Aridio Saldaña, who was Dominican, and Asalia Nazario, who is Puerto Rican with Dominican roots.
Her father passed away in a car accident when she was nine years old. She has two sisters named Cisely Saldaña and Mariel Saldaña. After her father’s death, the family moved to the Dominican Republic, where she trained in dance at ECOS Espacio de Danza.
She returned to New York at age 17 and attended Newtown High School in Queens. She began performing with youth theater groups and the New York Youth Theater.
Career
Saldaña made her screen debut with a guest role on Law & Order in 1999, followed by her breakout performance in the 2000 ballet film Center Stage.
Early roles included Crossroads (2002) alongside Britney Spears, Drumline (2002), Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), and The Terminal (2004) directed by Steven Spielberg.
Her career reached new heights in 2009 with two major roles: Nyota Uhura in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek reboot (later reprised in its sequels) and Neytiri, the Na’vi warrior, in James Cameron’s Avatar, performed through motion capture.
Zoe returned as Neytiri in Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) and Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025). These performances established her as a leading sci-fi and action star.
She further expanded her profile with Colombiana (2011), playing a skilled assassin, and joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), appearing in multiple sequels, including Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame.
Her involvement in these blockbuster franchises has made her one of the highest-grossing actors of all time. She has also worked as a producer and lent her voice to animated projects.
Saldaña has taken on diverse roles in projects such as The Losers (2010), Infinitely Polar Bear (2014), Live by Night (2016), and the Netflix limited series From Scratch (2022).
Her most critically acclaimed performance came in 2024 with Jacques Audiard’s musical crime drama Emilia Pérez, in which she played Rita Mora Castro.
The role earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 2025, making her the first Dominican American Oscar winner, along with Golden Globe, BAFTA, and SAG Award winner.
Saldaña continues to balance high-profile franchise work with independent projects. She has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and recognition as one of TIME’s Most Influential People.
Throughout her career, she has been celebrated for her versatility, physical presence in motion-capture and action roles, emotional depth in dramatic parts, and her advocacy for greater Latinx representation in Hollywood.
Awards and Nominations
- Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (Emilia Pérez) – Won
- Multiple Saturn Awards, Image Awards, and Critics’ Choice recognitions
- BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations
- Honored as one of the highest-grossing actors of all time
- Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
Social Media
- Instagram: @zoesaldana
Personal Life
Zoe Saldaña, 47, has been married to Italian artist and director Marco Perego-Saldaña since 2013. The couple shares three sons: twins Cy Aridio and Bowie Ezio (born 2014) and Zen Anton (born 2017).
She was previously in a long-term relationship with Keith Britton from around 2000 to 2011. She prioritizes family life, raising her trilingual sons while maintaining a private personal life outside of her career. Her height is 170 cm.
Net Worth
Zoe Saldana’s net worth is estimated at $60 million USD. She generates income primarily from high-profile acting roles in blockbuster films, production work, brand endorsements, and residuals from successful franchises such as Avatar and Marvel.
Filmography
- Center Stage
- The Terminal
- Star Trek
- Avatar
- Colombiana
- Star Trek Into Darkness
- Guardians of the Galaxy
- Infinitely Polar Bear
- Star Trek Beyond
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
- Avengers: Infinity War
- Avengers: Endgame
- Avatar: The Way of Water
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
- Emilia Pérez
- Avatar: Fire and Ash
- Elio