By Gill Pringle
Set to hit screens again soon in Ben Affleck’s period crime drama, Live By Night, actress, Zoe Saldana, is set to rival Scarlett Johansson and Jennifer Lawrence as Hollywood’s go-to franchise girl. Despite giving birth to twin boys, Cy and Bowie, to her artist husband, Marco Perego, in November of 2015, Saldana continues to be a major cog in the biggest blockbuster machines around. An essential part of The Marvel Cinematic Universe as Gamora in the hugely popular Guardians Of The Galaxy (and its upcoming sequel), and a key part of the new Star Trek movies, Saldana is also set to reprise her role as the alien, Neytiri, in James Cameron’s three sequels to his 2009 phenomenon, Avatar. In fact, Saldana is in so many blockbuster franchise that she’s starting to get confused.
“I think early 2017,” the actress replies when FilmInk asks when she starts shooting on Avatar 2. “But then I also have commitments with Avengers: Infinity War [yes, The Guardians Of The Galaxy will be swinging into this epic superhero team-up movie set to release in 2018], which I forgot about! So, I was like, ‘I am done! I buy a house, get a pay check, and just worry about the twins.’ And they’re like, ‘But you have Avengers: Infinity War!’ So I’m doing that and then Avatar.”
And despite being extreme flights of fancy, the Avatar sequels (due for release in 2018, 2020, and 2022) will be shot surprisingly close to home for Saldana. “Manhattan Beach in LA,” she replies when queried about the film’s shooting location. “They’re going to be in New Zealand for a while, but we first do all the motion capture here. And [James Cameron’s production company] Lightstorm has rented this whole space in Manhattan Beach where I’ve been going to. They’ve had it now for five years, and will probably have it for the next ten. My boys will be in second grade and I’ll still be promoting the movie. But I don’t mind…I’ll be employed!”
And speaking of her twin boys, has their arrival forced a shift in Saldana with regards to how she approaches her career, and the roles that she chooses? “I’ll tell you one thing, having kids and finding a purpose outside of this business, or just embracing my purpose in life, has given me a different perspective on how I would like to conduct myself, or how I just don’t fucking want to conduct myself at all,” Saldana replies. “I just want to continue being open hearted, and accepting challenges when other people remind me that I should believe more in myself. I didn’t audition for Live By Night, and I didn’t want it. I said no. I said, ‘I don’t fucking want to do this movie.’ But Ben was very persistent. A year and a half later, he was like, ‘So, did you read the new draft?’ I was pregnant with twins, you understand, and I was in a foul mood that morning. So I sat down with him. I was brutally honest with him and then he was brutally honest with me. And that inspired me. He was like, ‘Dare to do this for me. I love this story. I’m working with the best fucking people because that’s the formula. And I want you to do it with me. Honestly, I don’t want anyone else for this part.’ Ben really tickles your ego,” Saldana smiles. “Bastard! But you really want to believe what he sees in you.”
Live By Night is released in cinemas on January 26.
