Zoe Saldaña reveals she made a 26-year commitment to James Cameron's Avatar movies: "It's a gift"

Zoe Saldaña has revealed she's made quite the commitment to the Avatar movies. The Emilia Perez actor says she was in her 20s when she filmed the first movie and expects it will end at about a 26-year time frame by the time she's done.

"I was 28 when I did the first movie and I think, if all goes to plan, I'll be 53/54 for the very fifth one and last one," she told Deadline, but Saldaña says she doesn't view it as a burden.

"It's a gift to be able to revisit a character that has given me so much, to revisit a place that has been so magical," the actor continues. "Not just for me but for so many people in the world. We're talking about communities in the Amazon who were able to see Avatar 1 and they were moved by the stories that Jim was saying and how they felt represented in the story that Jim was conveying. That's beautiful to be a part of something so impactful."

Next up in the franchise is Avatar 3, also called Avatar: Fire and Ash, which is due out later in 2025. Not much is known yet about what will happen in the movie, but it will feature a new clan, the Ash People. They're led by newcomer Varang (Oona Chaplin) and director James Cameron has teased that they've been through tough times.

Speaking of Varang, he told Empire magazine: "Varang is the leader of a people who have gone through an incredible hardship. She's hardened by that. She will do anything for them, even things that we would consider to be evil."

Saldaña, meanwhile, is gearing up for the 2025 Oscars, where she is nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Netflix's Emilia Perez. After picking up several awards at the BAFTAs and the Golden Globes, she's the hot favorite to win the Academy Award too. Read our full 2025 Oscar predictions for more thoughts.