Zoë Saldana is a famous American actress with a net worth of around $60 million. She started her career in theater and became one of the most successful actors worldwide, mainly due to her roles in science fiction films.
Saldana has appeared in some of the highest-grossing movies ever, such as “Avatar” and “Avengers: Endgame.” When “Avatar: The Way of Water” reached $2 billion in January 2023, she made history as the first actor to appear in four films that each earned over $2 billion globally.
The other two films that helped her reach this achievement are “Avengers: Endgame” and “Avengers: Infinity War.” Her films have earned more than $14 billion worldwide.
At first, Saldana was focused on dance, learning ballet, modern, and jazz for several years at a conservatory in the Dominican Republic. After returning to the U.S., she switched to theater, joining different youth theater groups and performing in musicals.
A small part in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” helped her find an agent. She made her film debut in the ballet movie “Center Stage” in 2000 and has had a successful career since.
Over time, Zoe has built an impressive career, acting alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest male stars. Her filmography includes “Drumline,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” “Haven,” the “Star Trek” series, “Avatar,” “The Losers,” “Death at a Funeral,” the “Guardians of the Galaxy” series, and “Colombiana.”
Zoë Saldana’s Early Life
Zoë Yadira Saldaña Nazario was born on June 19, 1978, in New Jersey. Her father was Dominican, and her mother was Puerto Rican, which is why her full name reflects both her backgrounds.
She grew up in Jackson Heights, NYC, with her two sisters. Tragedy struck when her father died in a car accident when Zoë was just nine, causing her mother to move the family to the Dominican Republic shortly after.
While living in the Dominican Republic, Zoë developed her dancing abilities. She trained in ballet and dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer, but had to give it up because her foot structure wasn’t right for it. Even so, she still considers ballet her true passion.
After moving back to New York City, she attended high school and joined a theater group called Faces, which aimed to spread positive messages to teens. As a teenager, she also performed in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” where a talent scout spotted her and signed her to an agency.
Zoë Saldana’s Career
Zoë Saldana’s big break came in 1999 when she appeared on “Law & Order.” Thanks to her background in ballet, she got a leading role in the 2000 dance movie “Center Stage.” In 2002, she shared the screen with Britney Spears in “Crossroads” and starred in “Drumline” with Nick Cannon in the same year.
In the next few years, Zoë’s career really started to grow. She had a major role in the 2003 hit “Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl,” which is one of the biggest film franchises ever. In 2004, she played an immigration officer and a “Star Trek” fan in “The Terminal.”
During filming, Steven Spielberg helped her understand the “Star Trek” world and even taught her the Vulcan salute. In the years that followed, she appeared in several films like “Haven,” “Temptation,” “Constellation,” “Guess Who,” “Premium,” “Dirty Deeds,” “After Sex,” “Blackout,” and “Vantage Point.”
In 2009, her experience from “The Terminal” helped her when she got the role of Nyota Uhura in the “Star Trek” reboot. She did a lot of research to get her character just right. The film was a huge success, earning over $385 million.
But her next project that year was even bigger—she played Neytiri, the Xenos hunter, in “Avatar,” which went on to make an incredible $2.7 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing movie ever at the time.
Saldana took on smaller roles for a few years after that. In 2010, she appeared in movies like “The Losers,” “Takers,” “Death at a Funeral,” and “Burning Palms.” The next year, she joined the cast of “The Heart Specialist” and “Colombiana.”
After a smaller role in “The Words,” she made a big return in 2013 with “Star Trek Into Darkness.” This sequel did better than the first reboot, earning over $467 million at the box office. By then, Saldana had become known as a go-to actress for sci-fi films.
She kept the momentum going in 2014 with “Guardians of the Galaxy.” The film surprised everyone by becoming a huge success, especially since it was based on a lesser-known Marvel comic compared to the more famous heroes from other Marvel movies.
Still, “Guardians of the Galaxy” became one of Marvel’s biggest hits, earning over $772 million. Saldana played Gamora, a tough intergalactic assassin. She ended 2014 with a role in the TV miniseries “Rosemary’s Baby.”
In 2016, Saldana starred in “Nina,” a biopic about the legendary jazz artist Nina Simone. That year, she also returned to the “Star Trek” franchise with “Star Trek Beyond,” which got great reviews and did well at the box office. She finished the year with a role in Ben Affleck’s less successful film “Live By Night.”
In the following years, Saldana focused more on her role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It started with 2017’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” which made more money than the first one. Then in 2018, she was part of “Avengers: Infinity War,” which earned over $2 billion at the box office.
She came back as Gamora for the third time in three years with 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” which broke records by making nearly $2.8 billion, surpassing her previous hit, “Avatar.”
In 2021, she worked on two Netflix projects, playing Rosita in the musical “Vivo” and the lead in “Maya and the Three.” Saldana returned as Neytiri in “Avatar: The Way of Water” in 2022 and is set to reprise her role in “Avatar 3” in 2025.
She also starred in the sci-fi movie “The Adam Project” and the romantic drama miniseries “From Scratch” on Netflix. In 2023, she made her return as Gamora in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” marking her final appearance as the character in the MCU.
Zoë Saldana’s Personal Life and Real Estate
In 2010, Zoë Saldana got engaged to Keith Britton after being together for ten years. However, by 2011, they decided to break up and ended their engagement.
She then had a relationship with Bradley Cooper from 2011 to 2013. Later in 2013, Zoë started dating and eventually married Italian artist Marco Perego. The couple had twins in 2014 and a son in 2017.
In 2017, she launched BESE, a digital media platform designed to address the lack of diversity in mainstream media, focusing on sharing stories from the Latino community.
In June 2016, Zoë bought a beautiful home in Beverly Hills for $8.7 million, located in the upscale Hidden Valley Estates neighborhood, where her neighbors include Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, and Jennifer Lawrence. By September 2023, she listed the house for $16.5 million.
After a few months without a buyer, she decided to rent it out for $50,000 a month and lowered the sale price to $14.5 million. In November 2024, she sold it for $10 million.
In December 2023, Zoë bought a $17 million estate in Montecito, California, which sits on just under five acres of land.
Zoë Saldana’s Oscar Win
In 2025, Zoë Saldana won her first Oscar for her powerful performance in the movie Anora. Her portrayal of a complex, emotionally intense character deeply connected with both critics and audiences, showing her impressive acting skills.
This win confirmed Saldana’s status as one of Hollywood’s most talented and respected performers, adding another major achievement to her already successful career. Saldana’s commitment to her work and her ability to bring depth to every role have made her a true icon in the entertainment industry.
Zoë Saldana’s journey from a ballet lover to one of Hollywood’s most famous stars is truly remarkable. With a net worth of $60 million, she has made a lasting impact on the entertainment industry through famous roles in groundbreaking movies like Avatar and the Guardians of the Galaxy series.
Beyond her on-screen success, Zoë supports diversity and inclusion through her platform BESE, showing her commitment to positive change. As a trailblazer, mother, and advocate, Saldana shows resilience, talent, and grace, proving that hard work and authenticity can lead to great success and inspire millions around the world.
