Zoe Saldana Talks 'Star Trek' Sequel & 'Avatar'

The lovely Zoe Saldana is quickly becoming a name to contend with after managing to land plum parts in not one, but two of the biggest sci-fi films of the decade: Star Trek and Avatar. One is a bonafide hit, the other remains shrouded in a lot of mystery, but it's a mark of Saldana's star power that she's making a name outside of their huge hype. Plus, she's becoming an action heroine in her own right, and just might be our generation's Sigourney Weaver or Linda Hamilton.

We had the chance to catch up with Saldana this week, and she was game to talk about both projects. Of course with the Star Trek sequel still in a misty writing stage, she didn't have any big secrets to spill, but she shared the opinion of a lot of female Trek fans in hoping Uhura gets to do a little butt-kicking later on. "In Star Trek, I had so much fun, but the boys got all the action! J.J. [Abrams] promised me that I'm going to -- [that] in the sequel, she will have at least one little fight. I mean, just [let me] kick a guy in the groin or something!" Laughing, she revealed that there was an enormous ongoing e-mail list among the cast, Abrams, and the Trek producers where they regularly chat and joke back and forth. From the sound of it, that's also where the groin-kicking requests are made.

Go below the jump for Saldana talking all about Avatar!


Saldana was full of enthusiasm and emotion for her Avatar experience and was as full of praise for James Cameron as her costar Sam Worthington. "Avatar definitely had a purpose and will always have a very special place in my heart because it was the one film that I got to shoot for two years. Usually, we only shoot for three months and you have this amazing time with the cast, and the director, and the crew. And then the film lives forever for you guys, but our experiences of shooting that will only live for three months, and sometimes we feel cheated. Working with an amazing director like James Cameron, and working with Sam Worthington who I just -- he's one of the most selfless actors I've ever met. We're literally like brother and sister now. But not incestual! [laughs] Don't [confuse] that with Avatar, because they are in love! Sh*t! But it was amazing."

Saldana didn't comment on the Internet hype or criticism of the Avatar trailer, or say anything about the finished product, but she makes sure Cameron hears the good stuff fans are throwing his way. "I've only seen the first one, I've seen the first 16 or 25 minutes that we also showed in Amsterdam over the summer. But I've seen the movie! And I always e-mail Jim, like everytime I hear someone say 'Oh, I can't wait for Mr. Cameron's movie!' I go "Oh, People love ya!'"