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, 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, and Amsterdam, and on television’s Rosemary’s Baby, Maya and the Three, and From Scratch.
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
Be the change you wish to see in this world!!
So sad…african americans need an urge to call other dark skinned people like them because of racism in america. They need to feel belonged. If dominican isn’t a race neither is welsh, irish, german ect But no one one this forum has called that out have they? In america it is black and white. But your classifucations are not the only ones in the world and by far are the most racist. Just because someone is black doesn’t mean you are the same. The same goes for white skin tones. Dominicans are mixed. Some have more predoniment african features then others some are brown with “white” features. Some look very arabic. But then look at their parents or grandparents or even siblings and they all come in differing shades and predominent fetures. Why? Because Domincans are very much mixed. With africa, northern africa as well ( I seprate because African americans tend to originate from sub sahara africa) arabs and erupean. Just because you share similar complexions does not make you the same. African Americans, Domincans are mixed and like I said some more then others depending how long your family has been in Dr. Just like the us DR has also a lot of immigration in the last 30 years both from haiti and dominican-Americans going back to Dr. Question so what is a domincan born in america to you racist fucks called? Accept your own culture African Americans. Dubois speaks of this. Remove the veil. Accept and move on and only then will things improve in the world. Be the change you wish to be in the world.
And the fact that zoe calls her self black to please her fans doesn’t change anything. She is still dominican and her skin tone is seen in indians africans ect and her features are seen in whites blacks arabs indians ect. Or perhaps she knows that her own mixed domincan culture is predominently black. But the fact that the world still follows the one drop rule is so sad. Why ignore so much of your ethnicity because of the color of your skin or how other people percive you as. Get a grip african americans you arw you adding to the racism in the world by supporting classifications.
@guerra6
(And the fact that zoe calls her self black to please her fans doesn’t change anything. She is still dominican and her skin tone is seen in indians africans ect and her features are seen in whites blacks arabs indians ect. Or perhaps she knows that her own mixed domincan culture is predominently black. But the fact that the world still follows the one drop rule is so sad. Why ignore so much of your ethnicity because of the color of your skin or how other people percive you as. Get a grip african americans you arw you adding to the racism in the world by supporting classifications.)
So she says this to the Dominican press:
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.”).
So that was done for the AA’s benefit?It has to be a trick right ,I mean there’s no way ,she could be proud of that part of her heritage.You are seriously in denial, she did that because she deals in reality,it had nothing to do with AA’s.Also maybe she has a mind of her own.Maybe she does takes pride in that part of her heritage.Here You are wanting to be seen a certain way,but you don’t want others to have that same choice.You are hating on the wrong people.AA’s didn’t make these rules,nor are they the ones enforcing them.
Also if you want to be seen as such and such,STAY HOME.Stop coming to a country,where you would called black.That way problem solved
That is so true!!!! People just always thinking, assuming, and saying people are Black. Black and White are not the only two races in the World people She is Mixed. She is not black she is Spanish. Just because someone has brown skin color or just because their skin color is not white it doesn’t mean they’re black. people need to stop being racist & assuming what race other people are they are what ever they consider them self as & mixed people are not black they are MIXED their is a such thing as jsut being mixed not always black or white
Wtf are you talking about shes not black shes spanish? what? She has very strong african genes and that something she doesn’t deny. But shes not …how should I put it…people in Latin American countries don’t classify themselves. They know they’re ethnic background, but she is still very much mixed. Just like a majority of African-Americans.
She is not just dark skinned . Zoe clearly looks of majority black African heritage without a doubt she is black. Tons of black women look like her and alot more exotic.
guerra6 July 26, 2013 at 4:14 pm
So sad…african americans need an urge to call other dark skinned people like them because of racism in america. They need to feel belonged. If dominican isn’t a race neither is welsh, irish, german ect But no one one this forum has called that out have they? In america it is black and white. But your classifucations are not the only ones in the world and by far are the most racist. Just because someone is black doesn’t mean you are the same. The same goes for white skin tones. Dominicans are mixed. Some have more predoniment african features then others some are brown with “white” features. Some look very arabic. But then look at their parents or grandparents or even siblings and they all come in differing shades and predominent fetures. Why? Because Domincans are very much mixed. With africa, northern africa as well ( I seprate because African americans tend to originate from sub sahara africa) arabs and erupean. Just because you share similar complexions does not make you the same. African Americans, Domincans are mixed and like I said some more then others depending how long your family has been in Dr. Just like the us DR has also a lot of immigration in the last 30 years both from haiti and dominican-Americans going back to Dr. Question so what is a domincan born in america to you racist fucks called? Accept your own culture African Americans. Dubois speaks of this. Remove the veil. Accept and move on and only then will things improve in the world. Be the change you wish to be in the world.
And the fact that zoe calls her self black to please her fans doesn’t change anything. She is still dominican and her skin tone is seen in indians africans ect and her features are seen in whites blacks arabs indians ect. Or perhaps she knows that her own mixed domincan culture is predominently black. But the fact that the world still follows the one drop rule is so sad. Why ignore so much of your ethnicity because of the color of your skin or how other people percive you as. Get a grip african americans you arw you adding to the racism in the world by supporting classifications.
WHO THE HELL CARES! LEAVE HER ALONE.
Zoe’s race is the most highly debated color topic I have ever seen. I do not understand why Latinos and even white people get sooooooo angry whenever someone else says Zoe is Black. First and foremost, Zoe said that Zoe is Black. Secondly, Zoe has acknowledged that her mother is Puerto Rican with distant Lebanese and Dominican, and that her father is Dominican. Well, we all know that Puerto Rican and Dominican have African ancestry, point blank period. That doesn’t mean Puerto Ricans are Black or Dominicans are Black, but they are ethnically part African. When you look like Zoe, or LaLa Vasquez, or Lauren Velez or Sammy Sosa before the bleach, it is clear that their mixed ethnicity is predominantly African. So if a mixed race person looks and considers themselves more one race than another, that should not be a problem with other people. Check out Zoe staking her claim on her Blackness here:
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0757855/bio
and scroll down to “personal quotes”.
Gee I wonder if youre convictions are as strong about George “ZIMMERMAN” being Latino. Its ok to call him White right? If he had won a medal at the Olympics he’s Latino.
But because he murdered somebody (and we know he did) he’s a” white rascist” .
I don’t care if Zoe is Blue (avatar) she’s beautiful period.
If dialog is the path….. dont shut someone down because they dont agree with you. Listen and ask the same of them.
Personally, i know a lot of people who are half Puerto Rican and half Dominican and not one of them would reply “I’m Black” if asked what they were, they would simply say Puerto rican and domincan and no questions would be asked. when i look at her i see a Hispanic women as that is what most of them look like, its misleading, when she says she is black i think aa think she is saying she is African. to me culture overrides your skin color. i don’t go around saying . hi im yellow with brown undertones
@sarahwilson
(Personally, i know a lot of people who are half Puerto Rican and half Dominican and not one of them would reply “I’m Black”)
Well that’s just it,she’s one you don’t know.Those two groups saying they are not black,is no new story. They could be as dark as wesley snipes,and they would still tell you,they are not black.
(when i look at her i see a Hispanic women as that is what most of them look like)
You’re good,because when I first saw her,all i saw was a black woman.However I do understand what you’re saying
(its misleading, when she says she is black i think aa think she is saying she is African)
NO,I think AA are hearing her saying she’s black.Also from my understanding,I think she’s constantly telling the latino press that,not AA’s.
Every time I read a comment from fuzzybear, I’m convinced that this person is probably black and/or definitely pro-black/pro-African American. I think that just the mention of someone having the slightest of African heritage, they are simply black, end of story. Period. Kind of ironic, when you consider that this site is about celebrating ethnicity and all of it’s complexities. I don’t understand why fuzzybear doesn’t embrace that, instead of limiting their scope of ethnicity, and jumping to the idea of labeling everyone and everything black or African American. Apparently that’s all that matters to fuzzybear. Interesting, isn’t it?
@exotiq
We’ve talked at least a dozen times,and you’re just now determining I’m a black person.Even when you asked me point blank was i black,was my parent black.To repeat once again,I am of Creole heritage,but yes I see myself as a black person.
(I think that just the mention of someone having the slightest of African heritage, they are simply black, end of story. Period. Kind of ironic, when you consider that this site is about celebrating ethnicity and all of it’s complexities. I don’t understand why fuzzybear doesn’t embrace that, instead of limiting their scope of ethnicity, and jumping to the idea of labeling everyone and everything black or African American.)
It’s obvious you didn’t read my comments,the way you said you have.Because I don’t called anyone anything,they don’t call themselves.If you find a comment where I did that,please show it to me,because I don’t remember it.I say anyone who is part black,has ancestry or heritage.I don’t call them black,if you actually read the comments, you would see that.Also I never called anyone AA unless they called themselves AA
It’s interesting you came up with a lists of things I don’t do
@exotiq
Exactly smh