Zoë Saldana Net Worth (Money & Salary)

Zoe Saldana’s Net Worth and Salary: What is it?

With a net worth of $60 million, Zoë Saldana, an American actress, has risen to become one of the most acclaimed actors globally after starting her career in theater. She is especially recognized for her roles in numerous science fiction films. Saldana has starred in some of the highest-grossing movies in history, including “Avatar” and “Avengers: Endgame.” Notably, when “Avatar: The Way of Water” surpassed $2 billion in revenue in January 2023, Zoe Saldana made history as the first actor ever to feature in four films that grossed over $2 billion worldwide. The other two films include “Avengers: Endgame” from 2019 and “Avengers: Infinity War” from 2018. To this day, the worldwide earnings of her films exceed $14 billion.

Initially, Saldana aimed for a career as a dancer, dedicating several years to studying ballet, jazz, and modern dance at a conservatory in the Dominican Republic. Upon her return to the United States, she redirected her efforts toward theater, collaborating with various youth theater groups and participating in musicals. A small role in a production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” led to her signing with an agent. In 2000, she marked her film debut in the ballet-themed movie “Center Stage,” propelling her career forward. Since then, over the past few decades, Zoe has built an impressive portfolio of work alongside some of Hollywood’s leading male stars. Her credits include “Drumline,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” “Haven,” the “Star Trek” series, “Avatar,” “The Losers,” “Death at a Funeral,” the “Guardians of the Galaxy” series, and “Colombiana.”

Early Life

Born on June 19, 1978, in New Jersey, Zoë Yadira Saldaña Nazario has a Dominican father and a Puerto Rican mother, a combination reflected in her full name honoring both her ancestries. She grew up in Jackson Heights, New York City, with her two sisters. Tragedy struck when her father passed away in a car accident when she was nine, prompting her mother to move the family to the Dominican Republic shortly after.

While living in the Dominican Republic, Zoë Saldana flourished as a dancer. Although she aspired to be a ballet dancer, she eventually had to give up her dream due to not having the right foot structure for success in ballet. Nonetheless, she continues to regard ballet as her passion. After moving back to New York City, she attended high school and joined a theater group called Faces, which aimed to impart positive messages to high school students. During her teenage years, Saldana participated in a production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” where a talent scout noticed her, leading to her signing with an agency.

Career

Zoe Saldana’s significant on-screen debut came in “Law & Order” in 1999. Leveraging her dancing skills, she landed a leading role in the 2000 dance movie “Center Stage.” Her next major film role occurred in 2002 when she acted alongside Britney Spears in “Crossroads,” and she also featured in “Drumline” with Nick Cannon that same year.

Over the following years, Zoë Saldana’s career trajectory increasingly became more promising. In 2003, she played a key role in the highly popular film series with “Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl.” The following year, she appeared in “The Terminal” as both an immigration officer and a fan of “Star Trek.” During the filming, Steven Spielberg assisted her in grasping the “Star Trek” universe and taught her how to perform the Vulcan salute. In the subsequent years, Saldana

Films such as “Haven,” “Temptation,” “Constellation,” “Guess Who,” “Premium,” “Dirty Deeds,” “After Sex,” “Blackout,” and “Vantage Point” featured her.

In 2009, her prior performance in “The Terminal” became advantageous when she landed the part of Nyota Uhura in “Star Trek,” the reboot film. To portray her character authentically, she dedicated significant time to research. “Star Trek” turned out to be an extraordinary box office triumph, amassing over $385 million. However, Saldana’s subsequent film that year would surpass even that success, where she portrayed the Xenos hunter Neytiri in “Avatar,” a blockbuster that made $2.7 billion globally, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time at its release.

In the following years, Saldana accepted less prominent roles. 2010 saw her in movies like “The Losers,” “Takers,” “Death at a Funeral,” and “Burning Palms.” In 2011, she became part of films such as “The Heart Specialist” and “Colombiana.” Following a bit role in “The Words,” Saldana found herself back in the spotlight with 2013’s “Star Trek Into Darkness,” a sequel that outperformed its predecessor, grossing over $467 million. By this point, she was recognized as an actress known for her work in science fiction films.

She continued in that vein with the 2014 hit “Guardians of the Galaxy.” To everyone’s surprise, the film thrived, primarily due to its roots in a relatively obscure Marvel comic, unlike the more familiar heroes featured in the earlier Marvel films. Regardless, “Guardians of the Galaxy” became one of Marvel’s highest-grossing films ever, earning over $772 million. Saldana portrayed Gamora, an intergalactic assassin, and concluded 2014 with a role in the TV miniseries “Rosemary’s Baby.”

Saldana took the lead in “Nina” in 2016, a biographical film focusing on the prominent jazz artist Nina Simone. That same year, she returned to the “Star Trek” universe with “Star Trek Beyond,” which received positive reviews and did well at the box office. She wrapped up the year by appearing in Ben Affleck’s unsuccessful film “Live By Night.”

In the following years, Saldana concentrated on her established role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. First was 2017’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,” which performed even better than its predecessor. Subsequently, she starred in 2018’s “Avengers: Infinity War,” a film that grossed just over $2 billion. She reprised her role as Gamora for a third installment within three years in 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame,” which made nearly $2.8 billion, thus surpassing her previous film “Avatar.” In 2021, she featured in two Netflix productions, playing Rosita in the musical “Vivo” and the protagonist in “Maya and the Three.” Saldana returned as Neytiri in “Avatar: The Way of Water” in 2022, with plans to reprise her character for “Avatar 3” set for a 2025 release. Additionally, she starred in the science fiction film “The Adam Project” and the romantic drama miniseries “From Scratch” on Netflix. In 2023, she came back as Gamora in “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” marking her final appearance as the character in the MCU.

Personal Life and Real Estate

After a decade of dating, Zoë Saldana became engaged to Keith Britton in 2010. However, they ended their relationship and called off the engagement in 2011. From 2011 to 2013, she was in a relationship with Bradley Cooper. Following that, in 2013, Saldana began dating and subsequently married Italian artist Marco Perego. The couple welcomed twins in 2014 and had a son together in 2017.

Saldana established BESE in 2017, a digital media platform that aims to address the lack of diversity in mainstream media, highlighting positive stories from the Latino community.

In June 2016, she purchased a beautiful home in Beverly Hills, California, for $8.7 million. This residence is situated in the prestigious Hidden Valley Estates gated community, where her neighbors include Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, and Jennifer Lawrence. In September 2023, she listed this property for $16.5 million. After several months without a buyer, Saldana decided to offer the home for rent at $50,000 per month and reduced the sale price to $14.5 million.

In December 2023, Saldana acquired a property in Montecito, California, for $17 million. The estate covers just under five acres.