Zoe Saldana, a prominent actress known for her roles in some of the biggest sci-fi franchises, recently opened up about her journey in the film industry and the pivotal role that director James Cameron played in shaping her career.

In a candid conversation at the BFI London Film Festival, Zoe Saldana reflected on how her experiences in films like “Avatar,” “Star Trek,” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” have influenced her career, as well as the challenges she has faced along the way.

Saldana is no stranger to science fiction. She has become a recognized face in the genre, portraying iconic characters like Neytiri in Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ series and Gamora in Marvel’s ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’. However, despite her success, she admitted that she had concerns about being a typecast as a sci-fi actor. Speaking at the festival, she credited James Cameron for helping her navigate this tricky phase in her career.

As Zoe Saldana recounted, it was on the set of ‘Avatar’ that she first became involved with the ‘Star Trek’ franchise, which further cemented her place in sci-fi. James Cameron, who was aware that director J.J. Abrams was looking to cast for the ‘Star Trek’ reboot, played a crucial role in connecting the two.

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Saldana recalled a memorable moment when Abrams visited the ‘Avatar’ set and spoke with her. “I remember talking to J.J., and he’s like, ‘I’m going to call you. I really want to have a conversation with you.’ And then he walks away. And Jim comes over and goes, ‘I just booked your next job,’” she shared. It was this meeting that led to Saldana taking on the role of Nyota Uhura in the 2009 ‘Star Trek’ film.

While this opportunity expanded her career, Saldana admitted that stepping into ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ later on was a nerve-wracking experience. By this time, she had already made a name for herself in sci-fi, and the fear of being typecast loomed large.

 

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“I went into ‘Guardians’ with a lot of fear of being typecast because it would have been my third round in the universe,” she said. However, the unique tone of the film and the anti-heroic nature of the characters convinced her to take the leap. “There was just something about the anti-hero, the a-hole that saves the day, reluctantly, that I had never seen before,” she explained.

But despite her major successes, Saldana has faced her share of challenges in the film industry. One particularly difficult experience occurred on the set of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’. Directed by Gore Verbinski, Saldana described her time on the film as tough, citing issues with the leadership on set.

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“The crew, the cast, 99 percent of the time, are super marvelous,” she noted, before adding, “But if the studio, the producers, and the director aren’t leading the kindness and awareness, then that big production can become a really bad experience.”

This experience left her disheartened, until a subsequent project with Steven Spielberg on ‘The Terminal’ restored her faith in the industry. “After I had done ‘Pirates’, he restored my faith,” she said, reflecting on how Spielberg’s leadership and kindness had a profound impact on her.

In addition to her work in sci-fi, Saldana recently received critical acclaim for her performance in Jacques Audiard’s ‘Emilia Perez’, a film showcased at the BFI London Film Festival. Her portrayal earned her the prestigious Best Actress award at Cannes, which she shared with her co-stars Karla Sofia Gascon and Selena Gomez.

Speaking about the recognition, Saldana admitted she hadn’t realized how much the accolade meant to her. “Sometimes you feel like you’re just throwing spaghetti on the wall in the hope that something sticks,” she said, acknowledging that the visibility from the award had given her a renewed sense of purpose. “That visibility let me understand how invisible I had been feeling for so many years and trying to find a purpose again, in art and to love what I do,” she added.