While we love all the movies we get from it, the film industry can be difficult for actors and actresses, and only some people love the pressure of it. As a result, some actors get signed into long contracts that take up decades of their careers, which is precisely what happened to Zoe Saldana. She has been a part of two major science fiction franchises.
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Major Roles
Zoe Saldana has been a major player in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and James Cameron’s Avatar for arguably the last decade of her life. These are two major movie franchises that many people love, so it puts a lot of pressure on her.
Since Gamora first appeared in Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014, she quickly became one of MCU fans’ favourite characters. After she died in Avengers: Infinity War, she had a bit of a break from playing the character, but not really. She ended up coming back for Avengers: End Game as another variant of her character from an alternate timeline to help defeat the Mad Titan Thanos. Unfortunately, with Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 being the trilogy’s end, her run as Gamora might end, much to her relief.
On the other hand, her role as Neytiri in Avatar seems to be just beginning. The first film took about a decade to film, and the second, Avatar: The Way of Water, also had a decade-long production process. The second film is almost here, so we will see her in the iconic role again. However, the story still needs to be completed, so she might be starring in the position for a while longer.
After starring in these major franchises for so long, Zoe Saldana is very ready to find some change.
Ready for a Change
In an interview with Women’s Wear Daily, Saldana spoke candidly about the weight of the expectation of being a part of two massive franchises and how much it has affected her creativity as an actress. In a touching moment, she revealed that she has felt stuck for the last ten years because of these two significant franchises.
However, she didn’t want anyone to think that she was ungrateful for the fantastic opportunity that they had proved to be. “From collaborating with amazing directors and meeting cast members that I consider friends and getting to play a role that fans, especially children, love.”
Zoe Saldana went on to explain that not being able to expand or grow in the roles she takes has made her feel artistically stuck and that she is looking for the opportunity to challenge herself in not only different parts but also different genres. She wants to break the mould of sci-fi that she has found herself trapped in.
She also has to deal with the pressure of being a slightly older woman in the movie industry. Society puts an intense amount of pressure on women in the movie industry, implying that when they have children or reach their 40s, they are no longer viable candidates as actresses, and this plays on her mind constantly.
While being a part of huge franchises is a fantastic opportunity, Zoe Saldana isn’t the only actor or actress who has mentioned how suffocating it can be to sign such a long-winded, many-year, and many-feature contract. So here’s to hoping that she gets the opportunity soon.
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