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.
Known For
Avatar 4
Neytiri
2029
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Neytiri
2025
Elio
Olga Solís (voice)
2025
Emilia Pérez
Rita
2024
Good Burger 2
Zoe Saldaña
2023
Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Self - 'Gamora'
2023
Inside Pandora's Box
Self
2023
Hollywood's Hard Hitters: Women in Action
Self
2023
Avatar: The Way of Water
Neytiri
2022
Avatar: The Deep Dive - A Special Edition of 20/20
Self
2022
Always at The Carlyle
Self (archive footage)
2018
Avengers: Infinity War
Gamora
2018
The Legend of Red Hand
Mia Parc
2018
I Kill Giants
Mrs. Mollé
2017
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Gamora
2017
Live by Night
Graciella Suarez
2016
Quantum Is Calling
Herself
2016
For the Love of Spock
Self
2016
Star Trek Beyond
Lieutenant Nyota Uhura
2016
Nina
Nina Simone
2016
Sesame Street: Play All Day with Elmo!
Self
2015
Unity
Narrator (voice)
2015
The Book of Life
Maria (voice)
2014
Guardians of the Galaxy
Gamora
2014
Infinitely Polar Bear
Maggie
2014
Out of the Furnace
Lena Taylor
2013
Blood Ties
Vanessa
2013
Star Trek Into Darkness
Leuitenant Nyota Uhura
2013
The Words
Dora Jansen
2012
Colombiana
Cataleya Restrepo
2011
Capturing Avatar
Self
2010
Takers
Lilli
2010
The Losers
Aisha
2010
Burning Palms
Sarah Cotton
2010
Death at a Funeral
Elaine
2010
Avatar: Creating the World of Pandora
Self
2010
Avatar
Neytiri
2009
Star Trek
Lieutenant Nyota Uhura
2009
The Skeptic
Cassie
2009
Vantage Point
Angie Jones
2008
Blackout
Claudine
2007
After Sex
Kat
2007
Constellation
Rosa Boxer
2007
The Heart Specialist
Donna
2006
Premium
Charli
2006
The Curse of Father Cardona
Flor
2005
Dirty Deeds
Rachel Buff
2005
Guess Who
Theresa Jones
2005
Haven
Andrea
2004
The Terminal
Dolores Torres
2004
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Anamaria
2003
Drumline
Laila
2002
Crossroads
Kit
2002
Snipes
Cheryl
2001
Get Over It
Maggie
2001
Center Stage
Eva Rodríguez
2000
Hummingbird
Avatar 5
Neytiri
2031
Making Emilia Pérez
Self
2025
Dovecote
2024
The Absence of Eden
Esmee / Carmen
2024
Lioness
Joe McNamara · (16 episodes)
2023
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Gamora
2023
MPower
Self · (4 episodes)
2023
From Scratch
Amy Wheeler · (8 episodes)
2022
Amsterdam
Irma St. Clair
2022
The Adam Project
Laura
2022
Maya and the Three
Princess Maya (voice) · (9 episodes)
2021
Vivo
Rosa (voice)
2021
Marvel Studios Legends
Gamora (archive footage) (uncredited) · (9 episodes)
2021
Vampires vs. the Bronx
Becky
2020
Home Movie: The Princess Bride
Princess Buttercup · (1 episode)
2020
Tamron Hall
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2019
Love, Antosha
Self
2019
This Changes Everything
Self
2019
Avengers: Endgame
Gamora
2019
Missing Link
Adelina Fortnight (voice)
2019
James Cameron's Story of Science Fiction
Self · (1 episode)
2018
My Little Pony: The Movie
Captain Celaeno (voice)
2017
Guardians Inferno
2017
Hot Ones
Self · (1 episode)
2015
Guide to the Galaxy with James Gunn
Self
2014
2nd Unit: Invisible Action Stars
Self
Lip Sync Battle
Self · (1 episode)
2015
I Ain't Scared of You: A Tribute to Bernie Mac
Self
2012
Britney: The Videos
Self
2001
Sabaya
The Bluff
Amazing Saturday
Self · (1 episode)
2018
Ask the Storybots
(1 episode)
2016
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self · (1 episode)
2015
The Late Late Show with James Corden
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2015
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Self · (1 episode)
2014
Rosemary's Baby
Rosemary Woodhouse · (2 episodes)
2014
The Real History of Science Fiction
Self · (1 episode)
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
Self · (2 episodes)
2014
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
(1 episode)
2014
Comedy Bang! Bang!
Self · (1 episode)
2012
Honest Trailers
Neytiri (archive footage) · (1 episode)
2012
Honest Trailers
Nyota Uhura (archive footage) · (2 episodes)
2012
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (3 episodes)
2009
The Graham Norton Show
Self · (2 episodes)
2007
Six Degrees
Regina · (3 episodes)
2006
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
Self · (1 episode)
2005
Project Runway
Self - Guest Judge · (2 episodes)
2004
Punk'd
Self · (1 episode)
2003
Last Call with Carson Daly
Self · (1 episode)
2002
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Gabrielle Vega · (1 episode)
1999
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1993
Law & Order
Belinca · (1 episode)
1990
The American Film Institute Salute to ...
Self · (1 episode)
1973
The Oscars
Self · (2 episodes)
1953
The Oscars
Self - Presenter · (1 episode)
1953
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Winner · (1 episode)
1944