Zoë Saldaña
Saldaña in 2011, photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Zoë Yadira Saldaña Nazario
Place of Birth: Passaic, New Jersey, U.S.
Date of Birth: June 19, 1978
Ethnicity: Dominican Republic, Puerto Rican, evidently small amount of Lebanese and Haitian
Zoë Saldaña is an American actress and dancer. She has starred as Uhura in the rebooted Star Trek films, Neytiri in the Avatar franchise, and Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy/the MCU. She is also known for her roles in the films Center Stage, Get Over It, Crossroads, Drumline (2002), Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, The Terminal, Haven, Guess Who, Constellation, Premium, The Heart Specialist, After Sex, Blackout (2007), Vantage Point, The Skeptic, Death at a Funeral (2010), The Losers, Takers, Burning Palms, Colombiana, The Words, Blood Ties, Out of the Furnace, Infinitely Polar Bear, The Book of Life, Nina (2016), Live by Night, I Kill Giants, Missing Link, Vampires vs. the Bronx, Vivo, The Adam Project, Amsterdam, The Absence of Eden, and Emilia Pérez; and on television’s Rosemary’s Baby (2014), Maya and the Three, From Scratch, and Special Ops: Lioness.
Zoë is the daughter of Asalia Nazario and Aridio A. Saldaña. She is a black Latina. Her father was born in Cotui Pro Sa, Dominican Republic. Her mother is Puerto Rican. Zoë has described herself as “three quarters Dominican and a quarter Puerto Rican.” She was initially raised in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City, then spending a few years in the Dominican Republic after her father’s death; before moving back to Queens.
She is also said to have some degree of Lebanese and Haitian ancestry. She speaks English and Spanish fluently. Pictures of Zoë’s family members can be seen here.
Zoë is married to Italian artist Marco Perego, with whom she has three children.
Zoë has said:
There’s no one way to be black… I’m black the way I know how to be. You have no idea who I am. I am black. I’m raising black men.
Saldaña and her husband Marco Perego at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in 2015, photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com
By the way why are so proud of your native blood when the best things that came from Latin America because of the blacks. So if you are ashamed of your black blood then do not enjoy anything that came from blacks. What did the Natives do that I enjoy today shit all that is right. We were slaves but we are way ahead of them in everything.
I am Haitian and proud that I am not a rape baby like the rest of Latin America. Why be proud of the rapist who rape your black great great mother? You people need therapy and even if I had white ancestors I will never admit to having French blood never. Now a days people can be proud if you didn`t come from rape but why be proud of the rapist gene pool. Also think about all the rape babies from Latin America would be abored today. You all should think God there had no abortions in those days lol.
Zoe looks black to me and I have meant so many Africans that have lighter skin the hers all from West Africa and have nicer Hair then hers and those negros are not mixed there know what tribes there come from. Also Africans are usually ashamed of rape babies meaning when the Deutch,German,English,French,Spainish,portuguese and Italians came to colonies Africa. There left many of there rape offersprings behinde and those raped babies were looked down upon that is why you can go all over Africa and see communities of rape babies that blacks are ashamed of.
Oh yeah someone said about about a polish guy and that this black women likes him but he is with a rican who cares. In Haiti many Haitians have Polish ancestry there came to fight with the French but ended helping the blacks fight against the French true story.
is everyone on this forum stupid. A Latino is a Latino. Latinos are mixed with everything. Asian, Native American African and or European. Zoe Saldana is Puerto Rican and Dominican. That would make her Latino. People don’t go around saying white Latino or crap like that. Why does everything need a stupid prefix. No one says Euro Caribbean or shit like that. She’s Latino and that says enough. A Latino is mixed in general. There is no such thing as race anyways. It’s a social category. Now there is such a thing as ethnicity.
The reason they say she is Afro Latina is because she is Afro Latina. It is a lie that every Latino is mixed. That is false. Latin itself comes from Europe. From Italy. The culture, and the Latin Names & even Roman Catholicism. The original Latin countries are Italy, Spain, Portugal, France & Romania. Latins are from Europe and are classified as White/Caucasian. Spanish is a European Language as well and is based off Latin.
When Columbus sailed to the new world he sailed for Spain. Unfortunately in the new world after the Taino’s nearly died off they needed to replace the labor force. They brought in African Slaves around 1512 and brought in the first massive shipment to the island of Hispaniola around 1517 almost 3 decades after Hispaniola was landed on in 1492. Why would Zoe omit her AFrican ancestry. She even stated in an interview.
When I go to the D.R., the press in Santo Domingo always asks, “¿Qué te consideras, dominicana o americana?” (What do you consider yourself, Dominican or American?) I don’t understand it, and it’s the same people asking the same question. So I say, time and time again, “Yo soy una mujer negra.” (“I am a black woman.”) [They go,] “Oh, no, tú eres trigueñita.” (“Oh no, you are ‘dark skinned'”) I’m like, “No! Let’s get it straight, yo soy una mujer negra.” (“I am a black woman.”
jean shut the fuck up, if you havent heard of a place called LATIN America, then your ass needs to pick up a book and find out what countries are in LATIN America, you moron
I like how Jean explained the history in full in detail about what everything means including the events of what took place, and then here’s your post…
You shut the hell up what Jean is saying is the truth.I advise you to go read a fucking book idiot,Think you would know a bit about Latin Americas history if your a 3rd geneation American Cuban obviously your a bit of an idiot for that, The Latin language comes from Europe and was spoken in ancient Rome and Latium ..The Latin European countries are Spain, Portugal ,Italy France and Romania .,The term Latin America came in 1860swhen the French Emperor Napoleon III was trying to extend French imperial control over Mexico .He and his ministers used the term to try suggest at least some degree of cultural similarity throughout the region and with France ..The main offical languages in the region Spanish Portugese (and French)are derived from LATIN,.
Actually there is still a lot of Taino blood left in the carribean…
Not ALL Latinos are mixed with ‘everything’. Some Latinos are completely European, some are completely African, etc. All Latino means is that you come from a country that speaks the Spanish language.
I was born and raised here in America. I’m third-generation Cuban, and I do not speak any Spanish at all. My mother is mixed (black, white, and native) and my father is black.
The official language of the country you are from Spanish, I didn’t say EVERY individual knows how to speak Spanish.
Not all latinos are mixed with everything moron. Many are but many aren’t
Okay for one there are alot of dark dominicanos depending on what part you are from. There are also alot of dark puerto ricans also depending on where your from. look at her name it sounds spanish for those of you calling her black. Does it really matter she said she puerto rican and,dominican than she is
Latinos can be black. I’ve heard her say she’s afro-latino.
When I go to the D.R., the press in Santo Domingo always asks, “¿Qué te consideras, dominicana o americana?” (What do you consider yourself, Dominican or American?) I don’t understand it, and it’s the same people asking the same question. So I say, time and time again, “Yo soy una mujer negra.” (“I am a black woman.”) [They go,] “Oh, no, tú eres trigueñita.” (“Oh no, you are ‘dark skinned'”) I’m like, “No! Let’s get it straight, yo soy una mujer negra.” (“I am a black woman.”
Your last name doesn’t dictate your ethnicity! Will Smith sounds like an English name, does that make him not Black? Last names like Jones, Jefferson, Jackson, Johnson, etc. are not African, but most African Americans have those kind of surnames, I guess they’re not black.
The reason why they’re “dark” is because they are Black! The demographics of DR are mostly black and mixed.
Does anyone know anything about slavery and/or colonization?
Well will smith has an english name because AA were mainly colonized by Britain. Just like Latinos were colonized by Spain or Portugal so you have spanish names. if you go to spain you will find white european spanish ppl with the names vasquez, rameriz, diaz, rayas, etc.
she said she’s black, family is from the west indian islands. more specifically dominican republic and puerto rico. her father is a black man from DR who actually considers himself black and not “spanish” and besides a name is a name doesn’t mean her name means her ethnicity. my name is greek but im black, just b/c i have a greek name doesn’t mean that im greek and/or white.
Yeah stupid. Dark Dominicans wtc are black. She is black or predominantly African ancestry. Her last name is Spanish. And ?? The Spaniards gave everyone Spanish last names. You’re not going to tell me that she has a Spanish name she’s Spanish are you??
I ‘m sorry, clarification is indeed in order of latin and spanish history; for my fellow latino’s, Hispanic’s and non-latino hispanic, The latin culture, nationalities, are derived at many attributes wether that being Spain, Africa, our mother land’s with mixture of different culture of Indian, Asian, European, African decent. When born of an Hispanic or Latin mother or father we in latin america don’t put a stigma of plague on our culture where we are from we are just that; the blood of our land (country) in which you are born. There would not be a reason to clasify anyone of the latin culture as such we don’t judge in color we juge in country and the bloodline. My dear one who spoke on Tainos, correct you are but for those who are unfortunate to the latin experience maybe this can help you along!
Tainos are relatives of the Arawak people of south america. The tainos language is a member of the Arawakan language family ranging from south america across the caribbean. They are called Tainos tribes dating back to 1492. Which is part of West Indies; West Indies are usually regared as subregion of north america and are organized into 30 territories including sovereign states, overseas department and dependencies. To historically correct one; Caribbean can also be expanded to include territories with strong culture and historical connections to slavery, European, colonisation and the plantation system. So my response as to Zoe Saldana, Dominican decent & Puerto Rican both are Islands of the caribbean which relates to the West Indes reference of history. There aren’t any articles that say she is born to an african american mother or african american father. Zoe Saldana was born in the U.S. the articles speaks for itself and very comprehensible in details is that her mother is of Puerto Rican decent, Father Dominican decent but she was born in the U.S. . How much clearer should an article be for one to get or see the picture to read the responses, I ask seriously, What is going on in America? Instead of worrying of Zoe Saldana culture and nationality seriously; not sure of your age or education but seriously; honestly we all have had history lesson for those who didn’t comprehend there’s some place called a library, reading is truly fundamental where one doesn’t go onto a website carelessly offending another ethnicity when obviously; I’m wondering if you graduated from grammar school is where the start of formal education begins especially with history, usually when we don’t understand something, I’d hope we have well informed parents that are educated to mentor properly, unless this is where one ignorance begin’s in the home a child learns what he lives and what he is taught without the ignorance that plague and plagerizie this society today. Understand hispanic’s, latino’s are unique and very modified in descriptive deriviations of brillance which is why Sofrito, Sazon is mixed with a little bit of everything….Of what the Latin & Hispanic culture is made of!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I understand why my country Cuba became a socialism country for what plagued it; the ill ignorance that came forth to our land; “American”, hate and ignorant mentality, for us is begotten; we’d rather be poor and dignified than shameless and ignorant. The Cuban regimes states loudly & proudly racisim has been eliminated under socialism !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I Thank god everyday for the small things, being well informed so like the oxy-moron who’s utterly uninformed can crawl into a ditch and crash!!!!!Hit his head and knock some sense of how do you spell ed-u-ma-k-sun; lol “Education” .