Zoe Saldana, Star Trek's current Uhura, celebrates her birthday today. So, StarTrek.com thought we'd celebrate by sharing 7 Things to Know About Zoe Saldana.
Jersey Girl
Saldana was born in Passaic, New Jersey to Aridio Saldaña, who was Dominican, Asalia Nazario, who is Puerto Rican. She lived during her early childhood in Jackson Heights, New York. She and her family moved to the Dominican Republic after the death of her father, returning to New York several years later. She studied dance in both the Dominican Republic and New York.
First Credits
A 1999 episode of Law & Order marked Saldana's TV acting debut. She made her film debut in the dance drama Center Stage, which was released in 2000 and cast her as a dancer named Eva Rodriquez.
She Never Looked Back
Since the release of Center Stage, Saldana has worked pretty much nonstop. Among her many credits: Vantage Point, Haven, Guess Who, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, The Terminal, Dirty Deeds, Temptation, Constellations, Crossroads, Snipes, Drumline, The Losers, Colombiana, Out of The Furnace, Rosemary's Baby, Nina and, of course, Avatar and the Guardians of the Galaxy adventures.
Triple Threat
Saldana is part of three mega franchises, namely Star Trek, Avatar and Guardians of the Galaxy. "It feels pretty cool, I have to say," Saldana told StarTrek.com in 2013. "It’s not something I’ve purposely been looking for. I just happened to be moved by three characters that are part of stories that have very common ground. And I signed on for Guardians because I liked the script, the director, the casting and the possibility of being green. Gamora stands by really great principles. She’s extremely feisty. She’s a fighter. And she’s green."
Saldana and Sia
Earlier this month, Sia released a music video for her song "Free Me." Saldana appears as a pregnant woman informed by a doctor that she's contracted HIV and must be treated in order to help herself and the baby girl growing inside her. The piano ballad -- the proceeds from which will benefit #endHIV -- then kicks in, with Saldana performing an interpretive dance as she sorts through her feelings.
On the Way
Saldana's upcoming projects include My Little Pony: The Movie, for which she'll voice Captain Celaeno; I Kill Giants, a thriller based on the graphic novel of the same name; and Avengers: Infinity War, in which she'll reprise her Guardians role of Gamora.
Getting Personal
Saldana married Italian artist Marco Perego in June 2013. In November 2014, the couple welcomed their twins, Bowie Ezio and Cy Aridio, into the galaxy. And in early 2017, she gave birth to another son, Zen.
Please join StarTrek.com in wishing Saldana a happy birthday.
