Zoe Saldana, Sci-fi Queen, on the ‘Guardians’ Sequel

As a young actress, Zoe Saldana didn’t imagine being painted green, or blue. But, she said, playing sci-fi characters the hue of bright Crayolas helped her avoid being trapped in a box — or the pain of being rejected for roles because of her skin color.

“Rather than dealing with that heartache, I did rely spiritually and artistically on the freedom that these science-fiction roles gave me with their different colors of skin,” she said. “And it challenges me as an artist putting voices to those roles of females that are more action driven and diverse in a way that defies gravity.”

In “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” Ms. Saldana flies high again as Gamora, Marvel’s mean, green killing machine and a major player in the galactic team of heroes led by Peter Quill (Chris Pratt). Her biggest enemy this time is her sister, Nebula (Karen Gillan), who has vowed to fight Gamora to the death. Chances are she’ll survive: Ms. Saldana will reprise the role in “Avengers: Infinity War,” as well as return as the cerulean-splashed Neytiri in three “Avatar” sequels.

The forthright Ms. Saldana, 38 — born in New Jersey and reared in Queens and in the Dominican Republic — now nests in Los Angeles with her artist husband, Marco Perego, and their three young sons. In a phone interview from London, where she was recuperating from a manic premiere party, she spoke about female empowerment and raising men. These are edited excerpts from the conversation.

All that sci-fi! How did this happen?

I don’t know how to say no to these filmmakers. First I booked “Avatar,” and as I was shooting that, J. J. Abrams was getting ready to do “Star Trek.” And those collaborations got the attention of [the “Guardians” director] James Gunn. I really didn’t want to say yes because this was the third sci-fi film I’d be doing, and I was afraid it might not be great for my career. But I got the sense that I would be missing out on something so incredibly special that I said yes.

People are saying that the sparring between you and Nebula passes the Bechdel test, as you talk about something other than a man. What’s it like generating that much girl power?

It feels wonderful. It feels like that’s the way films should be, with more of a female presence. Give them a story, give them their own arc. And it felt great to balance off of a woman and play a sister. I’m one of three sisters, and that’s a topic I feel strongly about.

I’m betting you don’t argue like that.

Oh god, no, and I hope we never will. We have a production company called Cinestar Pictures. We work together, we collaborate together. When you’re busy doing all of those things, you don’t have time to quarrel.

What was Kurt Russell and his windswept hair like?

It was a check on my bucket list. He’s such a risk-taker and an artist who follows his heart. And we were laughing so hard at that hair. But he was the one laughing the loudest.

Peter Quill’s mixtape plays a huge role. What would be on yours?

I’m more a kid of the late ’90s, so I’d add some Prince and George Michael, and then take it way back with Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone.

You took flak for portraying Simone in the biopic “Nina.”

There was a lesson learned there. I think as an actor you have to choose the people you work with better, and make sure you know exactly what they’re doing. A lot of things raised a red flag, even before shooting, and I should have been braver and stronger and put my foot down. [Simone] has always been someone I loved, and she lives within me. I should honor that over what a person thinks [about the film]. And in the end, I can’t regret anything I’ve done.

What did studying ballet bring to your life?

I think I would have never booked “Avatar” if it weren’t for my ballet background. The actress James Cameron wanted was physically able. I thank god for something like ballet, which gave that space for me to be by myself and find peace. Ballet was my meditation, my therapy, my escape, my answer.

You have so many influential women in your life, and yet you’re the mother of boys.

Me having only boys is the universe being absolutely ironic, and I’m accepting the challenge with much love and humility. The biggest enigma is that after so many women, it’s now all about men — seeing them at a very tender age, learning about their biology, understanding who they are and why they are such precious creatures.

Zoe Saldana Slips Back Into Guardians of the Galaxy Suit After Having Twins: 'It Pays Off to Work Hard!'

Mission accomplished!

Zoe Saldana has been working so hard to get back into pre-baby shape since welcoming twins Cy Aridio and Bowie Ezio on Thanksgiving last year. And recently, the actress reached a mini milestone and enjoyed the fruits of her hard labor.

"Holy S---! You guys, I had to share this, this is one of the old #guardiansofthegalaxy costumes that I wore back in 2013. After twins I can't believe I was able to slip into this," Saldana, 37, posted on Instagram showing off her figure in her character Gamora's suit. "It pays off to work hard! I mean it mommies of the world, if I did it you can too."

And the mother of two isn't teasing any spoilers from the forthcoming Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 sequel.

"@marvel and @jamesgunn don't be mad, I'm not showing anything that hasn't been seen before... besides, aren't we designing new stuff?"

In addition to sharing her preparations to reprise her role as the green-skinned leading lady, Saldana had been updating fans about her post-baby fitness routines.

The star described her pregnancy as "a very challenging experience when it pertains to my body," also revealing that she had weighed 185 lbs. at her heaviest in a Facebook post back in April.

"My body was really bent out of shape after the boys were born. Bouncing back feels impossible, but I know it is important as a woman, and now a mommy, to not give up," she continued. "I am determined to get my energy back and find balance for my body before these little guys start walking, and before I go back to work, my clock is ticking!"

Zoe Saldana Dishes On The Hardships Of Being A Working Mom — This Lady's Gotta 'Pay Bills' Y'all!

Zoe Saldana may be a successful actress, but she's just like all the other mommas out there!

On April 2, Zoe opened up her post-baby body and how she's dealing with the prospect of going back to work after giving birth to her twin boys, Cy and Bowie, four months ago.

Obviously, Saldana and her hubby, Marco Prego, are not looking forward to leaving those adorable faces behind — it's a struggle for the pair to even go out on date nights!

The Guardians of the Galaxy star revealed:

"I'm pretty sure that every parent — not just every mom — would [take time off] as long as your work doesn't suffer. But we have to pay bills and at the end of the day, I think that's the best example we can set to our children. We're very determined and we can't just leave everything behind and just focus on them. But it's painful."

We totally get the momma's inner struggle! At the end of the day you have to do what's best for your family and sometimes what's right isn't always easy.

What IS easier for the momma, however, is staying fit:

"Whenever they are taking naps, my husband and I are doing little push-ups here and there and everything. I want to prove to myself and help people understand that sometimes you don't really need a trainer. You can do it on your own. Determination, commitment, and breastfeeding!"

Ha! Zoe makes the whole post-baby body struggle seem really simple! Good for you, girl.

Enjoy the rest of the time you have with your babies!

The Evolution of Zoe Saldana

J.J. Abrams and James Cameron are two very different directors, but they have come to agree on one thing: Zoe Saldana is damn good at what she does. From Star Trek to Avatar, 2009 marked a career-changing year that took Saldana to outer space and back. Twice. I sat down with the native New Yorker and recent LA transplant over drinks in Century City.

BL: Being a part of huge blockbusters such as Star Trek and Avatar, the pace of your life and your life in general have changed significantly. What effect has that had on you?
ZS: I’m very lucky I have a good support system around me. The only element that’s not happy in my life is my dog. He’s having a very hard time dealing with [all the traveling]. Every time I pick up my suitcase—I’ve never seen anybody have a tantrum like that. But I take time in between movies because I put so much into the characters I do that they haunt me for a while.

BL: Tell me about the experience of working on Avatar.
ZS: You know how certain things just feel like they were meant to cross your path? I feel like I was meant to work with Jim (Cameron) and [actor] Sam (Worthington) and to play someone like Neytiri because everything about her was something either I knew I could get away with, or I wanted to get away with. I wanted to work with someone who is just like I am, who doesn’t stop until it’s done. Literally, Jim is the Terminator. He will not stop!

BL: You lived in the Dominican Republic for seven years growing up. How difficult was it to refamiliarize yourself with American culture when you came back?
ZS: My shock was how little I knew about Tupac Shakur and Biggie [Smalls]. Being originally from New York, that was unacceptable. When I came back I had missed out on so much of that hip-hop culture that had infiltrated New York. When I left we were dancing to Debbie Gibson! When I came back we were dancing to [Saldana starts to rap the Biggie song “Juicy”] “It was all a dream.” It definitely took some time to catch up on that.

BL: OK, so you can rap Biggie, what other music do you love?
ZS: Jay-Z’s new album blows my mind. Hearing “Empire State of Mind” definitely had an effect on me. And lets talk about Lady Gaga. It took me a full year to get into the whole “Gaga-mania,” but I love the fact she is being herself, and even with all the attention she is getting the one thing we can all concur on is she is an artist. Her videos are works of art.

BL: We are both from New York City but have relocated to LA for whatever reason. Do you have moments when you realize—even though you miss home—you know you’re supposed to be here right now?
ZS: I feel like I just had to move to LA at the right time. If you are working in this business, you have to have sufficient maturity to understand that what you see, what you are being seduced by, isn’t real. When you are very young and you think it’s real, it’s easy to become lost. You have to know yourself and be very honest with yourself. I knew if I moved here at an earlier stage in my life I could have been susceptible to fall victim to that; it’s just so much fun and feels so good. But now that I’m older, want more space, have priorities and want a house and a family, LA is the best place to move because literally, work is here. All the producers are here. And let’s face it— Hollywood is amazing.

Zoe Saldana Reveals She "Was a Gentleman" and Put Marco Perego First in Their Kids' Names

Just a name? Zoe Saldana stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Thursday, June 11, and marveled at the public's fascination with her husband Marco Perego's name change. 

Host Jimmy Kimmel asked the Infinitely Polar Bear actress, 36, about her recent InStyle cover story, in which she said that Perego took her last name, explaining, "I tried to talk him out of it. I told him, 'If you use my name, you're going to be emasculated by your community of artists, by your Latin community of men, by the world.'"

Artist Perego, 36, told his wife of two years, "Ah, Zoe, I don't give a s--t," presumably not anticipating the splash the news would make. Saldana laughed when Kimmel brought up the subject and questioned why the move was seen as so revolutionary. 

When Kimmel asked whether she "made" her husband take her name, the Rosemary's Baby star exclaimed, "No! Oh my god!"

Zoe Saldana and Marco Perego
Credit: Michael Kovac/Getty Images

"Why does it mean a woman has to like hold a gun, it's like, 'You're gonna be Saldana!'" she continued. "I took his -- why doesn't that make it in the news?"

The Crossroads actress has been famously quiet with her private life, secretly exchanging vows with Perego in the summer of 2013 and going on to welcome twins Bowie and Cy with little public fanfare.

"We hyphened, I'm Saldana-Perego and he's Perego-Saldana," continued the mother of two of her and her hubby's last names. "I was a gentleman and I allowed the boys to be Perego-Saldana. I'm like, 'Your name needs to go first. But no, it was his decision! We just let everybody be! It's like, whatever you want to do."

Watch Saldana chat about her family in the video above! Want stories like these delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up now for the Us Weekly newsletter!

Zoe Saldana's Husband Takes Her Name, Doesn't Care What You Think

Zoe Saldana’s husband doesn’t “give a sheet” what people say about his decision to take the actress’ last name.

The “Guardians of The Galaxy” star sits beaming on the cover of the July issue of InStyle magazine, in which she reveals how Italian artist Marco Perego took her name after the two secretly married in the summer of 2013. Perego, it turns out, made the progressive decision in spite of his wife’s doubts.

“I tried to talk him out of it. I told him, ‘If you use my name, you’re going to be emasculated by your community of artists, by your Latin community of men, by the world'," the star told InStyle. “But Marco looks up at me and says [she puts on a cute Italian accent], ‘Ah, Zoe, I don’t give a sheet.’”

(Update Below)

In the interview, which hits newsstands on June 15, the actress also talks about how motherhood has changed her marriage and her thoughts on what her post-pregnancy body should be like.

“I don’t want to get back to where I used to be,” Saldana told InStyle. “I want to feel healthy, and not just fit into the old jeans I used to wear. I’m a woman now. My body has changed forever. It’s softer... and stronger.”

Saldana and her husband welcomed their twin boys, Cy Ardio and Bowie Ezio, in November. Since then, the first-time mom has been vocal on social media about her struggles. Not only has she turned to Twitter for breastfeeding advice, but she alsoopened up on Facebook in April about the “dramatic changes” her body underwent, inside and out, after the birth of her sons.

As you all know, we welcomed twin boys last November. Yes, by far, the most amazing experience of my life, but also a very challenging experience when it pertains to my body. I'm sure moms across the world (and dads sometimes) can identify with what I'm about to say.

Your body changes dramatically, inside and out. You grow in places you never knew you could, and you are tired beyond belief. In some cases more than others, your body experiences a kind of trauma through childbirth that is difficult to explain unless you've had that experience. My case was like that, everything from my thyroid to my platelets crashed. Thank God, we are all doing great now, but my body was really bent out of shape after the boys were born. Bouncing back feels impossible, but I know it is important as a woman, and now a mommy, to not give up. I am determined to get my energy back and find balance for my body before these little guys start walking, and before I go back to work..... my clock is ticking!

The 36-year-old actress ended her long message to fans -- which you can read here in full -- by inviting other mothers to share their own struggles and support each other.

“I know many of you have gone through this or are going through it as we speak,” Saldana said in the Facebook post. “Let's do it together. Let's talk about it, hear each other out, and seek advice when we need it.”

UPDATE June 9, 6:02 p.m.: Saldana addressed her husband's decision again via a Facebook post on Monday evening. In her message, the star said she didn't quite understand why people were shocked by the news and explained why men shouldn't be afraid to do what her husband did.

Personal life

In June 2010, Saldana became engaged to her longtime boyfriend Keith Britton, an actor and CEO of My Fashion Database.[47] Saldana and Britton announced in November 2011 that they had ended their relationship after 11 years together.[48] Saldana subsequently dated actor Bradley Cooper from December 2011 to January 2013.[49][50]

In March 2013, Saldana began dating Italian artist Marco Perego. They secretly married in June 2013 in London.[51][52] In her July 2015 cover interview with InStyle, Saldana revealed that, in a reversal of tradition, Perego adopted her surname upon marriage.[53][54] Thereafter, Zoe became Zoe Saldana-Perego or Zoe Perego and Marco became Marco Perego-Saldana or Marco Saldana. Their children will be Perego-Saldana.[55] Saldana and Perego have twin sons, Bowie Ezio Perego-Saldana and Cy Aridio Perego-Saldana, born in November 2014.[56] During her pregnancy, Saldana stated that her children will be bilingual as she and her husband plan to speak both Spanish and English around them.[57]

In 2009, Saldana said she would avoid plastic surgery, telling Women's Health magazine "God as my witness, I am going to try to do everything I can to keep this ass together for as long as I possibly can—without going against nature."[17] She watches what she eats but does not diet and does Pilates regularly saying "It's the closest thing to dance."[17]

Saldana is a celebrity supporter of FINCA International, a microfinance organization.[58]