Magazines

Via NYLON Magazine

“Zoe Saldana’s leading role in the most successful film of all time may have been along time coming, but she’s just getting started. Here, the actress speaks candidly about Avatar, racism in Hollywood, and doing her homework in a mango tree. Here’s a peek at what’s inside”

On moving from New York City to the Dominican Republic at age 9:
“We went from this urban life to running around barefoot in the countryside and being taught how to gut fish. We were learning how to climb coconut trees – let me tell you, they are fucking dangerous!… I would do my homework in guava and mango trees.”

On learning dance as a child:
“That was the beginning of a beautiful f***ing romance. That was my Xanax, let me tell you… it put all my demons in order.” (HGB-She was definitely one of my inspirations for dance because of her role in “Center Stage” One of my favorite movies)

On Hollywood casting:
“When they say ‘We want to go white,’ they have a very smooth way of saying it, and the recent one is the word traditional. [I’ve heard] ‘Oh, you know, you’re just not what we were looking for, your skin is a little darker.’ Compared to what?! My skin is just my skin. It’s dark if you compare it to someone who’s lighter.”

On meeting James Cameron:
“I’m thinking he probably imagined some Amazonian girl [for Neytiri] – I had really long hair at the time – wearing really little s**t with like, a bow and arrow. I had no idea she was blue and nine feet tall. But for some reason, he was like, ‘You look so much like her!’”