Zoë Saldana’s $60 Million Empire: A Star’s Rise to Wealth

Zoë Saldana’s $60 Million Empire: A Star’s Rise to Wealth.

What is Zoe Saldana's Net Worth and Salary?

Zoë Saldana is a well-known American actress with a net worth of around $60 million. She kicked off her career in theater and has since become one of the most successful actors globally, largely due to her roles in various sci-fi films. Saldana has starred in some of the biggest box office hits ever, like "Avatar" and "Avengers: Endgame." Notably, when "Avatar: The Way of Water" hit the $2 billion mark in January 2023, she made history as the first actor to feature in four films that each earned over $2 billion worldwide.

The other two films that helped her achieve this milestone are "Avengers: Endgame" and "Avengers: Infinity War." Overall, her films have raked in more than $14 billion globally.

Initially, Saldana was all about dance, studying ballet, modern, and jazz for several years at a conservatory in the Dominican Republic. After moving back to the U.S., she pivoted to theater, working with various youth theater groups and performing in musicals. A small role in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" led her to get an agent. She made her film debut in the ballet flick "Center Stage" back in 2000 and hasn’t looked back since.

Over the years, Zoe has built an impressive career, sharing the screen with some of Hollywood's biggest 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

Zoë Yadira Saldaña Nazario was born on June 19, 1978, in New Jersey. Her dad was Dominican, and her mom is Puerto Rican, which is why her full name reflects both her heritage. She grew up in Jackson Heights, NYC, with her two sisters. Tragedy hit when her father died in a car accident when Zoë was just nine, leading her mom to move the family to the Dominican Republic shortly after.

While living in the Dominican Republic, Zoë developed her skills as a dancer. She trained in ballet and dreamed of becoming a ballet dancer, but had to give it up due to her foot structure not being ideal for it. Still, she considers ballet her true passion. After returning to New York City, she went to high school and joined a theater group called Faces, which aimed to share positive messages with teens. As a teenager, she also performed in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," where a talent scout noticed her and signed her to an agency.

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Career

Zoë Saldana's big break came in 1999 when she appeared on "Law & Order." Thanks to her background in ballet, she landed a leading role in the 2000 dance flick "Center Stage." In 2002, she shared the screen with Britney Spears in "Crossroads" and also starred in "Drumline" with Nick Cannon that same year.

Over the next few years, Zoë's career really started to take off. She had a significant part in the 2003 blockbuster "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl," which is one of the biggest film franchises ever. In 2004, she played an immigration officer and a "Star Trek" fan in "The Terminal." During the shoot, Steven Spielberg helped her get familiar with the "Star Trek" world and even taught her the Vulcan salute. In the following years, she appeared in a variety of films like "Haven," "Temptation," "Constellation," "Guess Who," "Premium," "Dirty Deeds," "After Sex," "Blackout," and "Vantage Point."

In 2009, her experience from "The Terminal" came in handy when she snagged the role of Nyota Uhura in the "Star Trek" reboot. She did a lot of research to really nail her character. The film was a massive hit, raking in over $385 million. But her next project that year was even bigger—she played Neytiri, the Xenos hunter, in "Avatar," which went on to make a staggering $2.7 billion globally, becoming the highest-grossing movie ever at the time.

Saldana took on smaller roles for a few years after that. In 2010, she was in movies like "The Losers," "Takers," "Death at a Funeral," and "Burning Palms." The following year, she joined the cast of "The Heart Specialist" and "Colombiana." After another minor role in "The Words," she made a big comeback in 2013 with "Star Trek Into Darkness." This sequel outperformed the original reboot, pulling in over $467 million at the box office. By then, Saldana had built a name for herself as a go-to actress for sci-fi films.

She kept that momentum going in 2014 with "Guardians of the Galaxy." This film surprised everyone by becoming a massive hit, especially since it was based on a lesser-known Marvel comic compared to the more famous heroes from earlier Marvel movies. Still, "Guardians of the Galaxy" became one of Marvel's biggest successes, grossing over $772 million. Saldana took on the role of Gamora, a fierce intergalactic assassin. She wrapped up 2014 with a role in the TV miniseries "Rosemary's Baby."

In 2016, Saldana starred in "Nina," a biopic about the legendary jazz artist Nina Simone. That year, she also returned to the "Star Trek" franchise with "Star Trek Beyond," which received great reviews and did well at the box office. She ended the year with a role in Ben Affleck's less successful film "Live By Night."

Over the next few years, Saldana really leaned into her role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It all kicked off with 2017's "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2," which actually made more money than the first one. Then in 2018, she was part of "Avengers: Infinity War," which raked in over $2 billion at the box office. She came back as Gamora for the third time in three years with 2019's "Avengers: Endgame," which smashed records by earning nearly $2.8 billion, surpassing her previous hit, "Avatar."

In 2021, she took on two Netflix projects, playing Rosita in the musical "Vivo" and the lead in "Maya and the Three." Saldana returned as Neytiri in "Avatar: The Way of Water" in 2022 and is set to reprise her role in "Avatar 3" in 2025. She also starred in the sci-fi flick "The Adam Project" and the romantic drama miniseries "From Scratch" on Netflix. In 2023, she made her comeback as Gamora in "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3," marking her final appearance in the MCU as that character.

Personal Life and Real Estate

In 2010, Zoë Saldana got engaged to Keith Britton after a decade of dating. However, by 2011, they decided to call it quits and ended their engagement. She then had a relationship with Bradley Cooper from 2011 to 2013. Later that same year, Zoë began dating and eventually married Italian artist Marco Perego. The couple welcomed twins in 2014 and a son in 2017.

In 2017, she launched BESE, a digital media platform aimed at addressing the lack of diversity in mainstream media, focusing on uplifting stories from the Latino community.

In June 2016, Zoë bought a stunning home in Beverly Hills for $8.7 million, situated in the upscale Hidden Valley Estates neighborhood, where her neighbors include Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, and Jennifer Lawrence. By September 2023, she put the house on the market for $16.5 million. After a few months without a buyer, she decided to rent it out for $50,000 a month and reduced the sale price to $14.5 million. Ultimately, she sold it for $10 million in November 2024.

In December 2023, Zoë splurged on a $17 million estate in Montecito, California, which sits on just under five acres of land.

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Zoë Saldana’s journey from a ballet enthusiast to one of Hollywood’s most recognized stars is nothing short of extraordinary. With a net worth of $60 million, she has made a lasting impact on the entertainment industry through iconic roles in groundbreaking films like Avatar and the Guardians of the Galaxy series.

Beyond her on-screen success, Zoë champions diversity and inclusion through her platform BESE, showcasing her dedication to positive change. As a trailblazer, mother, and advocate, Saldana exemplifies resilience, talent, and grace, proving that hard work and authenticity can lead to remarkable achievements and inspire millions around the globe.