The road to the Oscars wasn’t always certain for Zoe Saldaña, an actress best known for her involvement in major franchises such as “Avatar,” “Star Trek,” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Although her onscreen work has been well received over the years, a few years back, Saldaña has said she wanted to take risks and reignite her passion for acting by taking on challenging roles.
In the lead-up to becoming the highest-grossing lead actor of all time, Saldaña took some time off from her busy “Avatar” filming schedule to focus on other projects (including some on TV). She starred in the emotional Netflix limited series “From Scratch” in 2022, joined Taylor Sheridan’s spy thriller “Lioness,” and finally accepted a part in “Emilia Pérez” after initially fearing that she wouldn’t be qualified for it.
“Emilia Pérez” is a genre-bending musical about a cartel leader seeking a gender-affirming transformation, and Saldaña’s Rita is hired to help the titular character usher in a new identity through a fake death. The film allowed the actor to sing and return to dance 20 years after making her onscreen debut with “Center Stage,” where she played a professional ballerina. The “Emilia Pérez” role to Saldaña’s winning her first Academy Award in 2025 and proving herself outside the sci-fi realm. Her thoughts on what she wanted and how she got it make up today’s Quote of the Day.
Quote of the day by Zoe Saldaña
“I can say that I’m once again really proud of the work that I’m putting out there, and when I’m failing, because I fail every day, I’m failing forward.”
Zoe Saldaña said this during the 2024 Los Angeles Times Actress Roundtable, where she discussed how starting a family while navigating successful franchises prevented her from asking herself what she wanted to do. The actor shared that during a conversation with her husband, Marco Perego-Saldaña, she came to the realization that she wanted more than everything she already had.
“I want to continue growing, to continue challenging myself, and surprising the f**k out of myself,” she said. From then on, Saldaña opened herself up to new opportunities that stepped out of her comfort zone, finding personal fulfillment in the process.
Deeper meaning of Zoe Saldaña’s quote — freedom to Fail
Zoe Saldaña’s quote applies to actors and non-actors alike. After all, it’s easy to prioritize others’ wants over your own, whether professionally or personally. When Saldaña realized she was playing it safe, she sought to change that by taking roles on which she would’ve initially passed. Her decision to grow led to her first Oscar nomination and win.
Saldaña embraces “failing forward” instead of fearing failure, and that’s an important reminder for everyone looking to repurpose their lives. Whether it be looking for opportunities that are outside your comfort zone or finding ways to incorporate your own interests into your day-to-day routines, it’s important to find time to prioritize your needs. Although Saldaña will still star in the next two “Avatar” installments, she is also returning for “Lioness” Season 3 and starring in a crime caper entitled “Positano” alongside Matthew McConaughey. Saldaña didn’t leave a franchise to take on more challenging roles; she just found a way to do both.
More quotes from Zoe Saldaña
“Something that my older self would tell my younger self is rely on those people that really believe in you and are really willing to genuinely listen to you. It does get better, but please speak up. Don’t live in silence, because who you are and what you do and what you’re going through is not wrong.” — From a video Zoe Saldaña recorded for the Child Mind Institute in March 2020, discussing her battle with dyslexia
“That’s my biggest achievement in life: I know who I am. I love who I am. I like what I do, and I like the way that I do it. I like my mistakes, and I like the way that I learn.” — From a conversation with Amanda de Cadenet in 2013
“When you realize it’s not about the win but about the work, and learn to let that go, the day that you do win gives you a deeper appreciation for it. There are so many external factors that can impede you from stepping forward, and I had a hard time with self-sabotage. But you have to listen to your instincts. I have a lot more fun when I do that.” — From the press conference following her 2025 Oscar win
