Zoe Saldana Bio, Husband, Kids, Parents, Net Worth, Age and Height

Quick Facts

Zoe Saldana-Perego is an American actress, model and dancer. Her rise to Hollywood stardom was a steady one and over the years she has earned herself the status of Hollywood royalty.

Her breakout role came in her portrayal of Eva Rodriguez in the 2002 dance film Centre Stage. After her big screen debut on Centre Stage, Saldana starred in Crossroads alongside and as the captain of a dance team in Drumline.

2009 was Saldana’s year of the Blockbusters as she was cast as Nyota Uhura in Star Trek and as Neytiri in the digital epic movie Avatar. Saldana confessed that making Avatar had drained her physically, emotionally and spiritually. However, all that hard work paid off bigtime at the box office as Avatar was the first movie to gross over $2 billion at the box office.

Starring in the epic digital movie also shot Zoe Saldana straight into A-list stardom. Saldana is also expected to return to her role in three Avatar sequels to be released in 2020 and 2021.

The gorgeous actress and model was chosen as one of People magazine’s annual 100 Most Beautiful People in the World, Beauty at Every Age section, for age 28, in May 2007. She was also named on Maxim magazine’s Hot 100 Women of 2008, 2010, and 2011.

Biography (Parents, Age)

Born Zoe Yadira Saldaña Nazario on June 19, 1978, to Asalia Nazario and Aridio Saldaña in Passaic, New Jersey, her father was from the Dominican Republic and her mother is Puerto Rican. The actress also has Haitian and Lebanese ancestry, such an exotic combination of ancestries!

Despite her multi-ethnic background, Saldana identifies as black rather than Latino. This also earned her some harsh criticisms when she was cast in the lead role of the 2016 biopic of Nina Simeone.

Zoe Saldana was raised in Jackson Heights Queens, New York alongside two sisters, Cisely and Mariel Saldana, and half-brother, Nipo Saldana. Her father died in a car accident when she was 9. A year after the death of Zoe’s dad, the family moved to the Dominican Republic, where they lived for seven years.

Spending some time in her father’s home country, Zoe took to the performance dance and enrolled at the prestigious ECOS Espacio de Danza Dance Academy where she learned ballet as well as other dance forms. The dance training also provided her with the platform to begin her professional acting career.

Her family then moved back to the United States when she was 17 and she joined the FACES theatre troupe in Brooklyn and the New York Youth Theater. The plays put on by the group addressed issues surrounding young people such as drug abuse and sex. It was a source of pride for the young Saldana knowing that she was making such great impact on the lives of young people.

While performing with the FACES Theatre Troupe, Saldana was noticed and recruited by a talent agency. In 1999, she made her screen debut on a single episode of Law & Order titled “Refuge” part 2. Her years of training at the dance academy coupled with her acting experience came in handy when she was cast as a ballet dancer in the 2000 teen drama film Center Stage. A year later, Saldana appeared with in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003).

2009 was definitely a year mega blockbusters for Saldana as she was cast as Nyota Uhura in the Star Trek remake and also in James Cameron’s Sci-Fi epic Avatar. By the time she was cast in the Star Trek remake, Zoe Saldana had never seen the original 1966 Star Trek series. To make up for lost time and prepare for her character, Saldana met with Nichelle Nichols who had played the same character in the original series.

Zoe Saldana’s Net Worth

There are varying reports on how much Zoe Saldana is currently worth. The reports range between $14 million and $20 million. Being a part of the highest grossing blockbuster in history must have certainly fetched Saldana a huge fortune. However, she is expected to earn even more as she has her role booked in the 3 upcoming Avatar sequels.

In 2016, the Avatar star dropped a whopping $8.7 million for a Beverly Hills mansion which formerly belonged to fashion royalty Kimora Lee Simons. The 6,332-square-foot home boasts of a two-story entry, six-bedrooms, eight-bathrooms, a designer kitchen, a spacious master suite and a massive closet with a dressing room.

Apart from her successful acting career, Saldana also has some very juicy endorsement deals, owns several restaurants in Washington, a football team “Passaic Angels”, and a fashion line called Zoe Saldana Seduction. This Dominican beauty has sure done very well for herself.

Husband and Kids

In July 2013, the actress and model got married to Italian artist Marco Perego Saldana (nee Marco Perego) in a private ceremony outside of London. Marco Perego was a professional soccer player before an injury to the leg aborted his football career. His first solo art show held in 2007 and had paintings which sold for as high as $30,000.

The couple had dated for just 3 months though they had known each for a while. Their union is quite unique as Zoe took her husband’s surname and he also took hers. Zoe had tried to talk him out of taking her name but the Italian insisted on defying the gender stereotype.

Zoe Saldana has three sons with husband Marco Perego Saldana. The couple welcomed twins Cy Aridio Perego-Saldana and Bowie Ezio Perego-Saldana on November 27, 2014, in Los Angeles. Sons Cy and Bowie are named after the artist Cy Twombly and late singer David Bowie. Zoe Saldana returned to work 7 months after giving birth to her twins to begin filming Star Trek: Beyond.

Two years after the birth of their twins the couple also welcome another son Zen Perego-Saldana on December 12, 2016.

Height, Weight

The beautiful mother of three stands at a height of 5ft 7″ and weighs 115 lbs. Zoe Saldana obviously inherited a good physique but she sure puts in a lot of work to keep looking as stunning as ever.

Saldana had packed on a lot of weight during her first pregnancy peaking at 185 lbs while she was carrying twins. Soon after delivery, the Avatar star hit the gym to get her energy back. 3 months later, she appeared at the 2015 Oscars with a highly enviable figure.

Also Read: Top 10 Richest People in the world with full biography and details.