Emilia Pérez star Zoe Saldaña’s life from Nina Simone backlash to health issues

Zoe Saldaña has become one of the most recognisable faces in Hollywood, with some of her most famous roles including Uhura in the Star Trek franchise and Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy series.

Marvel actress Zoe Saldaña is among the stars in the new unique musical Emilia Pérez, alongside a star-studded cast featuring Selena Gomez and Karla Sofía Gascón.

The Netflix film, which debuts on November 13, tells the story of a cartel boss who enlists a lawyer’s support to transition into a woman and live a more authentic life.

As Rita Mora Castro, the lawyer roped into assisting drug lord Juan Manitas Del Monte with his gender transition journey, Saldana delivers a captivating performance that snagged her the Best Actress accolade at the 2024 Cannes Festival, and shared the limelight with her talented colleagues Gascon, Gomez, and Adriana Paz.

Beyond Zoe’s career in TV and film. there is more to her life including her family, career breakthrough and work outside of acting.

Early life of Zoe Saldaña

Born on June 19, 1978, the actress’ parents are a Dominican father and Puerto Rican mother. She grew up in New York but faced family tragedy at age nine when her father died in a car crash.

The Mirror reports the impact of losing her father resonated deeply with her. In a heartfelt confession to Emmy Magazine in 2022, she shared: “I’ve always felt like an alien in my own skin. It’s like I’m on the outside looking in, and I really started to feel it after we lost our dad.”

The loss led to her family relocating to the Dominican Republic, where Zoe spent her formative teenage years.

She discovered her passion for performance in the Dominican Republic and honed her skills at the ECOS Espacio de Danza Academy in Santo Domingo, studying ballet, jazz, and Latin dance.