Oscar-winning actress Zoe Saldaña has reflected on her long journey with the Avatar franchise, revealing that she will have spent about 26 years playing Neytiri by the time the film series concludes.
Speaking during Deadline’s The Actor’s Side, Saldaña said she was just 28 years old when she signed on to James Cameron’s epic science fiction saga and expects to be 54 when the fifth film is released.
I was 28 when I signed on and will be 54 when we finish.
The actress first appeared as the Na’vi warrior Neytiri in Avatar, which premiered in 2009 and went on to become the highest-grossing film in history following multiple theatrical re-releases.
She returned for Avatar: The Way of Water in 2022 and is set to reprise the role in Avatar: Fire and Ash, which is scheduled for release later this year. James Cameron also plans to release Avatar 4 in 2029 and Avatar 5 in 2031.
Looking back on the experience, Saldaña described returning to Neytiri as a privilege rather than a burden.
It is a gift to be able to revisit a character that has given me so much. To revisit a place that has been so magical.
Beyond Avatar, Saldaña has built one of Hollywood’s most successful careers with starring roles in the Guardians of the Galaxy and Star Trek franchises. She also won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Emilia Pérez.
With two more Avatar films still to come after Fire and Ash, Saldaña’s portrayal of Neytiri is on course to become one of the longest-running commitments to a single film character in modern Hollywood.