Zoe Saldana was such a pleasure to interview. There is something so powerful about woman who are confident in what they are doing. I love seeing people become successful in pursing their passions. Zoe Saldana is without a doubt one of those woman. I was able to get the scoop from Zoe about her performance as Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy films, along with a few other fun things about her. Check out the Q&A below and also make sure to read my review on Guardians of the Galaxy vol. 2.
To get things started we had to ask Zoe about how she feels about the amount of female empowerment we see from her character, Gomora and how she felt about the girl power in the movie.
Female Empowerment Feelings
Zoe: “I was very excited, there were three female characters in this movie, and they all were going to provide three different essences. Like, ’cause Mantis (Pom Klementieff) is such an innocent creature, and Nebula’s so angry… she’s so angry…. And Gamora is so maternal. She’s turned over this new leaf. In the first movie, she was so selfish. It was about running away from her father. And now it’s about keeping this family together, you know, and keeping them always on track. So she went the opposite of who she was in the first movie.”
Zoe's Personal Role Models and Being an Icon
Zoe: “I was little, I only had two icons that I can reference (as inspiration for Gamora), and I’d watch those movies until my tape would break. It was Ellen Ripley from Aliens, and Sarah Connor from Terminator. And I would watch these movies endlessly. And then it was Jamie Lee Curtis, when Katherine Bigelow (director) did that movie, Blue Steel, and James Cameron also did that movie, True Lies. I had her as a reference. But other than that, I was always like, watching action movies told through the eyes of males, but always feeling that gap, that void.
I feel like I did take it upon myself to just be happy with the fact that I took a gamble on these movies for a first time, they ended up being super special, and they went into, into sequels. I had my responsibility to fulfill them. But once I was there, I didn’t want to be better about it. I wanted to acknowledge that maybe, maybe it means something. Maybe it is important that I’m a part of those women that are filling in that gap, so that women can have more options, more references to look into.”
THE LOVE LIFE OF GAMORA AND STAR-LORD
Zoe: "So, they really have a relationship, that when everybody goes to sleep, they’re up, and they’re talking. And that kind of transpired in the way that James Gunn designed our relationship to unfold in this movie, and I would like it to sort of run its course. And if in Vol. 3, if I do go back, and we do end up having a kiss, let it be because we’re so desperate to see it, because it’s the one thing that just needs to happen between them. But up until now, I think that we got just what we needed from them."
"It needs to be really well done, and very meticulously paced out in order for me to feel like it wasn’t gratuitous for the audience, and it wasn’t just part of a recipe for disaster at the box office. I think that James Gunn is exceptionally talented in the way that he creates strong characters in the beginning, and then he really lets these characters tell him where they need to go, based on what he established before. So, Gamora and Quill, they’re best friends. The bond that they have is so spiritually dynamic that to top it off with a kiss, you might actually ruin it. So, I feel like it lives better, and it’s stronger, in the way that they communicate, and the way that they counsel each other, and the way that they think and protect each other. And then the way that they cover up for each other."
DETAILS ON HER STUNT WOMAN AND DOING HER OWN STUNTS
Zoe: “Her name is Leanne. She's phenomenal. She really did all the parts where Gamora looks absolutely, unbelievably, cool. That's Leanne. All [of] the parts where I'm posing, and taking out my sword and stuff, that's me. I also did do a lot of those jumps. I would do a lot of the stunts that she would do, but like, the PG-13 version. Because one, I can't do them. And two, it's a liability to the film if I get killed or something… there is this jump I did, they made me jump from three stories. I was on wires, but I still can't remember if somebody told me, and I just brain farted, or somebody forgot to tell me that I was going to free fall. I was not going to feel the tension on the wires. So when they said ‘Action!' and I jumped–'cause obviously, I don't like to take my time, 'cause there's so many men watching you, I jumped. I jumped and thought I was dying. Forgot to speak English… I was like help me!
And then, James Gunn was like, ‘Yeah, your face was kind of awful there. You have to do it again.' And I was just like, oh my God. So, I did it again. And then, you guys can watch it, it's on Instagram, but as soon as I land, I was like, ‘I don't want to do this again.' The girly girl came out of me. It was awful, but super fun.”
HOW SHE PASSES THE TIME WITH HER MAKE UP ROUTINE FOR GAMORA
Zoe: "I talk in every language. I turn on music. I’m on my phone. I FaceTime with my kids, I FaceTime whoever’s up. Like New York is up, DR is up, what’s up, la, la, land. I’m talking to myself. Sometimes I would see them, like, putting the TV on super high, to see if I would just get the picture and just shut up.
‘Cause I’d be there from 2:30 in the morning until the time I get to set, I talk to everybody. But I’m just one of those, like, mom-a-la’s. Like, I’m just an old lady. I just talk, you know?"
FINAL ADVICE FROM ZOE
Now, I'll leave you with these final worlds from Zoe, because I think all of the woman out there can relate.
Zoe: "I think that it’s okay to still be vulnerable, and be strong, you know? I think that for some reason, we take it upon ourselves, or where we’re told, that, in, you have, you have to be one thing or the other. And I think that vulnerability is strength, and being strong that means that you have to be vulnerable."
Zoe Saldana was such a joy to interview and I’m happy to tell you she really is just as great in real life. Make sure to catch her in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and to check out my GOTG2 movie review for even more scoop.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is in U.S. theaters May 5!
For more information and to keep up with the latest scoop on the film, be sure to like and follow Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2.
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Disclosure: I was provided with an all-expense trip by Disney. As always all opinions are 100% my own.
[…] Zoe Saldana was asked about feelings of female empowerment and she said, “I was very excited, there were three female characters in this movie, and they all were going to provide three different essences. Like, ’cause Mantis is such an innocent creature, and Nebula’s so angry… she’s so angry…. And Gamora is so maternal.” (Sarah Scoop.) […]