What is Zoe Saldana's ethnicity?

Zoe Saldana is a popular Hollywood actress, born on June 19, 1978, in Passaic, New Jersey, United States. She is known for her roles in superhit franchises like Avatar, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Star Trek. She is one of the highest-grossing actresses of all time. She made her on-screen debut with a minor appearance in the show Law & Order in 1999. She made her film debut with the film Center Stage in 2000.

She received recognition for her role as Nyota Uhura in Star Trek (2009). She then gained international popularity as Neytiri in James Cameron’s Avatar (2009), one of the highest-grossing films ever. Her role as Gamora in MCU made her a big sci-fi and action star. In March 2025, she won an Oscar for Emilia Pérez. Apart from acting, many fans are curious about her ethnicity and nationality. Let’s take a look at Zoe Saldana’s background.

What is Zoe Saldana's ethnicity?

Zoe Saldana's ethnicity is both Dominican and Puerto Rican. Her father, Aridio Saldaña, was Dominican and her mother, Asalia Nazario, is Puerto Rican. Her father died in a car accident when she was 9 years old. Her mother sent her and her sisters to live with their relatives in the Dominican Republic. Saldana has openly discussed the importance of embracing her Afro-Latina identity. In many interviews, she has shared how her background has impacted her life in Hollywood and shaped the way she sees things.

In an interview with The View, Saldana talked about the negative portrayal and contribution of the Latin Community. She said, “Latinos have been here as local natives for a very long time. You know, right now, and for the last decade at least Latinos have been over-indexing in their college enrollment, mortgages, and starting their own businesses. Also, they support both their households, their own and their folks. Well, because we are known as a culture that takes care of our elders and I think it’s about time, we’re voters, our sons go to war for America."

She added, “It’s important that we just add a little bit more to broaden that narrative and not eliminate the one that exists. It’s always going to be sensational and negative but I think broadening it will make it more accurate when we are depicting people today that support the very fabric of our nation, and Latinos are the fastest growing minority group and the most marginalized according to its size.”

In an interview with Hispanic Executive, she said, “Representation cultivates aspiration. I’ve seen it all around me. And I’ve also been a witness to what happens when that representation is not there, how much it affects someone’s identity.” In an interview with Time, she talked about the challenges of representation and said, “I look at the films I love so much, like the beautiful Jane Austen adaptations, but someone like me doesn’t exist in those narratives–at least not in a way that I would want to be a part of. Honestly, it makes me sad. I think about how someone like me would have been treated.”

What is Zoe Saldana's nationality?

Zoe Saldana is an American citizen as she was born in Passaic, New Jersey. She embraces both her American identity and her Dominican-Puerto Rican background. On March 2, 2025, she won her 1st Oscar for her performance in Emilia Pérez. In her acceptance speech, she acknowledged her ethnicity and nationality and expressed gratitude to her family and heritage. She said, “I am a proud child of immigrant parents with dreams and dignity and hardworking hands, and I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award and I know I will not be the last. I hope."

She added, “The fact that I am getting an award for a role where I got to sing and speak in Spanish, my grandmother, if she were here, she would be so delighted.” In an interview with Hispanic Executive, she talked about the representation of her community in America and said, “So, I was like, ‘Well, if I’m experiencing this, and I’m an American of Latin origin, I wonder if other communities within my community—especially young people—are feeling the same way. I do believe that there is a very big imbalance in our nation where all the information given to us—usually through media conglomerates that are privately owned—isn’t as free and as neutral as it should be.”