Zoë Saldana Net Worth

What is Zoe Saldana's Net Worth and Salary?

Zoë Saldana is an American actress who has a net worth of $80 million.

After beginning her career in the theater world, Zoë Saldana has gone on to become one of the most successful actors in the world, thanks to her appearances in various science fiction films. Saldana has appeared in some of the highest-grossing films of all time, including "Avatar" and "Avengers: Endgame." In fact, when "Avatar: The Way of Water" crossed $2 billion in earnings in January 2023, Zoe Saldana officially became the first actor in history to appear in four films that have earned more than $2 billion at the global box office. The other two films are 2019's "Avengers: Endgame" and 2018's "Avengers: Infinity War". To date, her films have grossed more than $15.5 billion worldwide, making her the highest-grossing actor of all time.

Saldana was originally focused on a career in dance and studied ballet, modern, and jazz for a number of years at a conservatory in the Dominican Republic. After returning to the United States, she shifted her focus to theater work, working with multiple youth theater companies and appearing in musicals. Her work in a small production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" netted her an agent. She made her feature film debut in the ballet movie "Center Stage" in 2000. She hasn't stopped since. Over the last few decades, Zoe has amassed an impressive resume working opposite some of Hollywood's most popular male leads. She has co-starred in such projects as "Drumline," "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," "Haven," the "Star Trek" franchise, "Avatar," "The Losers," "Death at a Funeral," the "Guardians of the Galaxy" franchise, and "Colombiana."

In 2024, Saldana starred in the film "Emilia Perez." On January 5, 2024, she won a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for the role. On March 2, 2025, she won the Oscar for Best Actress.

Early Life

Zoë Yadira Saldaña Nazario was born on June 19th of 1978, in New Jersey. Her father was Dominican, while her mother is Puerto Rican. Her full name is a reflection of both her Puerto Rican and Dominican ancestry. She was raised in Jackson Heights, New York City, alongside her two sisters. Disaster struck when her father was killed in a car accident when Zoë Saldana was nine years old, and her mother relocated the entire family to the Dominican Republic not long afterward.

During her time in the Dominican Republic, Zoë Saldana became an accomplished dancer. Although she studied ballet and became interested in a career as a ballet dancer, she was forced to quit because she didn't have the correct foot structure to excel. Saldana still describes ballet as her passion. After moving back to New York City, Zoë attended high school and joined a theater group called Faces. This group focused on spreading positive messages to teens in high school. While she was still a teen, Saldana appeared in a production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." During one performance of the play, she caught the eye of a talent scout and signed with an agency.

Early Career: From Ballet to the Big Screen

Zoë Saldaña's professional journey began in the late 1990s, with her first on-camera role appearing in a 1999 episode of "Law & Order." Her background as a trained ballet dancer at the ECOS Espacio de Danza Academy proved to be her biggest asset early on, helping her land the lead role of Eva Rodriguez in the 2000 dance drama "Center Stage." This breakout performance showcased her physical discipline and paved the way for a series of high-profile youth-oriented films, including starring alongside Britney Spears in "Crossroads" (2002) and Nick Cannon in the hit musical drama "Drumline" (2002).

Rising Star and Franchise Foundations

The mid-2000s saw Saldaña steadily climb the Hollywood ladder, beginning with a role as the pirate Anamaria in "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" (2003). Though she later expressed frustration with the production's massive scale, the film's success cemented her place in blockbuster cinema. In 2004, she appeared in Steven Spielberg's "The Terminal" as an immigration officer and Trekkie. During filming, Spielberg famously helped her understand the lore of the "Star Trek" universe, even teaching her the Vulcan salute—a lesson that would prove prophetic years later. Over the next few seasons, she maintained a prolific pace in films like "Guess Who" (2005), "Vantage Point" (2008), and the indie drama "Haven."

Sci-Fi Dominance: "Star Trek" and "Avatar"

2009 was the year Saldaña became a global household name. She was cast as Nyota Uhura in J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek" reboot, a role she prepared for by meeting with the original Uhura, Nichelle Nichols. The film was a staggering success, grossing over $385 million. However, it was her second 2009 release that made history: James Cameron's "Avatar." Utilizing groundbreaking performance-capture technology, Saldaña played the Na'vi warrior Neytiri. The film grossed $2.9 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing movie of all time and establishing Saldaña as the premier actress for high-concept science fiction.

The Marvel Era and Gamora

By 2013, Saldaña had returned to the bridge of the Enterprise for "Star Trek Into Darkness" ($467 million) before joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as Gamora in "Guardians of the Galaxy" (2014). Initially seen as a risky "obscure" property, the film became a massive hit, earning over $772 million and making the green-skinned intergalactic assassin one of the MCU's most beloved characters. She continued to balance blockbuster work with personal projects, such as the miniseries "Rosemary's Baby" (2014) and the biopic "Nina" (2016), where she portrayed jazz legend Nina Simone.

Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images

The Marvel Era and Gamora

By 2013, Saldaña had returned to the bridge of the Enterprise for "Star Trek Into Darkness" ($467 million) before joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as Gamora in "Guardians of the Galaxy" (2014). Initially seen as a risky "obscure" property, the film became a massive hit, earning over $772 million and making the green-skinned intergalactic assassin one of the MCU's most beloved characters. She continued to balance blockbuster work with personal projects, such as the miniseries "Rosemary's Baby" (2014) and the biopic "Nina" (2016), where she portrayed jazz legend Nina Simone.

The Multi-Billion Dollar Milestone

Between 2017 and 2019, Saldaña achieved a feat no other actor has matched. She reprised the role of Gamora in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," followed by the massive cultural events "Avengers: Infinity War" (2018) and "Avengers: Endgame" (2019). Both "Avengers" films crossed the $2 billion mark, with "Endgame" temporarily overtaking "Avatar" as the biggest film in history. During this period, she was essentially the face of the three most successful films ever made. She transitioned into the 2020s with Netflix hits like "The Adam Project" and the acclaimed miniseries "From Scratch."

Box Office Royalty and Academy Recognition

Saldaña returned to Pandora for "Avatar: The Way of Water" (2022), which grossed $2.3 billion, making her the first actor to star in four $2 billion films. After saying farewell to the MCU in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" (2023), she moved into a new era of critical acclaim. In 2024, she starred in the audacious musical "Emilia Pérez." Her performance as the lawyer Rita was a clean sweep during awards season; she won a Golden Globe in early 2025 and followed it with a historic Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress on March 2, 2025—becoming the first American of Dominican origin to win an Oscar.

Highest Grossing Actor in the World

In January 2026, after "Avatar: Fire and Ash" earned $1.2 billion at the box office, Zoe became the #1 highest-grossing actor of all time, with a total career haul of $15.47 billion. With two more "Avatar" sequels scheduled through 2031, Saldaña's record-breaking run at the box office is poised to reach even greater heights.

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Personal Life and Real Estate

In 2010, Zoë Saldana became engaged to Keith Britton after ten years of dating. In 2011, they called off the engagement and ended the relationship. She dated Bradley Cooper from 2011 to 2013. Then, in 2013, Saldana started dating and married Italian artist Marco Perego. In 2014, the couple had twins, and in 2017, they had a son together.

In 2017, Saldana founded BESE, a digital media platform designed to combat the lack of diversity in mainstream media with an emphasis on positive stories from the Latino community.

In June 2016, Zoe paid $8.7 million for a gorgeous home in Beverly Hills, California. The home is located within the exclusive gated community Hidden Valley Estates. Nearby neighbors include Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, and Jennifer Lawrence. In September 2023, she listed this home for sale for $16.5 million. After not finding a buyer after several months, Saldana offered the home as a rental for $50,000 per month and lowered the purchase price to $14.5 million. She ultimately accepted $10 million in November 2024.

In December 2023, Saldana paid $17 million for a home in Montecito, California. The property of her Montecito estate spans just under five acres.

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