Zoe Saldaña isn’t the queen of the worldwide box office by chance. The actress seriously worked for it, especially when it comes to portraying the iconic Neytiri for the Avatar movies. When CinemaBlend talked to the actress for Fire And Ash about playing the role for the past fifteen years, she flexed on all the things she can do now. And one really stands out.

The Skills Zoe Saldaña Learned For The Avatar Movies

Saldaña’s Na'vi role is done through performance capture, meaning that she actually does physically perform just about every moment in the film – she just looks very different from the final product we see on the big screen. Here’s what she told us about what she can do because of Neytiri:

What can’t she do? You can check out the interview moment in the clip below:

I’m pretty sure Saldaña could survive on her own in Pandora at this point. There’s one acquired skill she named that I want to talk about though.

I Love How One Of Her Skills Has A Neytiri Twist

As she said in our interview, she’s got solid archery proficiency, but it’s not the normal way one would shoot a bow and arrow. Zoe Saldaña knows how to be an archer “the Na’vi way”, which is sideways. What’s interesting about this little fun fact is that apparently shooting a bow and arrow this way is actually way harder and less precise than the typical way people do archery. So when she says she has good aim it's a really awesome flex. Especially, since she probably doesn’t have to target anything on set well if she doesn’t want to.

Zoe Saldaña has been playing Neytiri since she was 28 years old, and by her estimation she’ll be well into her fifties once the last one comes out. The Oscar winner just turned 48 last week, and the trilogy of movies has helped her become the highest-grossing actor of all time with her name on $15.46 billion across her lifetime so far.

Following Fire And Ash’s release during the holiday season, we’re not sure which direction Avatar will go next or if the franchise will “put on the brakes” after earning less money. Currently Avatar 4 and 5 are on the Disney movie release calendar for 2029 and 2031.

Right now you can see Zoe Saldaña’s Neytiri in the entire Avatar trilogy at home – on Disney+, digital or physical media.

Within the fashion world, Zoe Saldaña is arguably a sneaky favorite. She rarely goes for something bold and over the top so, sometimes, her looks might pass fans by. But, simultaneously, the A-lister is one of the most consistent best dressed in Hollywood. On that note, Saldaña recently proved that statement with a summer look that I’m absolutely adoring, and it might be one of her best lace looks yet. Even better, it’s from a designer the actress is known to love.

The Emilia Perez star recently showed out for a Cartier event in Saint-Tropez, France. You can't just wear any outfit when you’re in the south of France, and Saldaña knew it. She opted for an absolutely stunning two-toned orange lingerie lace look by Saint Laurent, and it's absolutely to die for. She notably paired the piece with one of the most show-stopping pieces from Cartier’s collection, the Haryma necklace, and features both yellow and orange diamonds that match incredibly with her dress. You can see the look in a post from Saldaña’s Instagram below:

It seems like it would be easy for this dress to come off just as lingerie, but the movie star makes it look elegant and classy for such a high-end event. I love that she paired the look with a slicked back bun, drawing more attention to the stunning jewelry and the dress. I personally love Saldaña in Saint Laurent as well. She wore the designer when she became a 2025 Oscar winner, as well as when she presented at the Oscars in lace earlier this year. It’s a great partnership, and I hope to see more collaborations between Saldaña and the fashion brand.

This look also proves that lace is back for the summer. Teyana Taylor wore an all lace bodysuit at the Schiaparelli Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2026, which hinted at a burgeoning trend. Then, Zendaya wore a sheer white lace look by Harris Reed to promote The Drama, and, for me, it was one of her most memorable from that press tour. With this stunning lace look from Saldaña, I feel like a trend has been cemented as the look of the summer, and I'm totally here for it!

Lace is a great way to look elevated and classy, while also sexy and chic, especially as the weather gets warmer. Saldaña's move to pair such a stunning lace piece with a one-of-a-kind necklace shows how much accessorizing can change a fashion moment and make lingerie more than a bedroom look. Also, orange is not an easy color to pull off, but this extremely warm look couldn’t be more fitting for the setting -- and it makes Saldaña glow in the process.

When Zoe Saldana isn’t making a fashion statement in the south of France, she's further cementing her status as one of the highest grossing actresses of all time. You can see her in her latest film, Avatar: Fire and Ash, which is currently available to purchase on digital platforms. She also serves as an executive producer on the action film, The Bluff, which is streamable with a Prime Video subscription.

Zoe Saldaña is giving it up for her husband, and I’m so here for it. Saldaña is married to Marco Perego, a former soccer star and painter turned filmmaker. After years of hard work, he now has his own production company. Without much background as a film producer, Perego has found himself behind three films that are in competition at the Cannes Film Festival this year. It’s a huge accomplishment, and his wife, Saldaña, knows it’s a reason to celebrate, which is why one of the high-grossing actresses shared an adorable tribute to her hubby on social media.

In a recent Instagram post, the 2025 Oscar winner shared a screenshot of a Hollywood Reporter article that covered Perego’s rise as a buzzy film producer in Hollywood. Not only was Saldaña celebratory, but she also praised her partner’s character and the work ethic that brought him to this huge moment in his career. She said in her caption:

I absolutely love this tribute, and it shows what a connection these two have, not only personally but professionally. Hollywood marriages can be hard. Their jobs can often take them all over the country, and fame can often be a barrier to connection. Saldaña shows here how important their connection outside of work is, while also admiring the ambition and commitment in her partner that allows him to reach new heights professionally. It’s an absolutely beautiful post, and the kind of relationship we can all hope for.

For context, Perego created the production company Leaf Entertainment after directing the 2023 movie release, The Absence of Eden, which starred Saldaña. His production company is now responsible for three of the buzziest films in competition at Cannes, James Gray’s Paper Tiger, the Sebastian Stan-led Romanian film Fjord, and the wildly anticipated Russian film Minotaur. This doesn’t even include another Leaf Entertainment film, Butterfly Jam, which stars Barry Keoghan and is screening outside of competition at the festival.

A lot of this success can be attributed to Perego’s goal with his production company, which is to work with the best filmmakers possible and get their movies made. It also shows what happens when you work hard and make the right connections with the love of cinema as the backbone of your journey. He clearly also has an incredible partner in his corner in the form of Zoe Saldaña, and their three children, who probably can’t watch these films just yet. This kind of loving relationship can be a supportive force in every endeavor, and I hope these two can find a way to work together again very soon.

All three of the Marco Perego-produced Cannes films don't have United States release dates yet, but they are expected to land in theaters this year. So keep an eye on the 2026 movie release schedule. In the meantime, you can check out his Zoe Saldaña-led feature film The Absence of Eden, which is now available with a Hulu subscription.

Actress Zoe Saldaña recently won an Oscar, and also recently celebrated another huge accomplishment. Namely that Saldaña is the highest grossing actor of all time, thanks to her roles in the Avatar franchise and the MCU (both of which are streaming with a Disney+ subscription). She recently spoke about the possibility of someone else taking on that mantle, and one thing she's especially passionate for.

Fans who spent wars watching the Marvel movies in order have seen as both Saldaña and Scarlett Johansson become the highest grossing actress ever. The Emilia Pérez star recently spoke with Time about having that title, and seems to have a good attitude about it. As she shared:

Talk about a healthy perspective. It seems like Saldaña is happy to pass on the mantle of the highest grossing actor of all time. She'd be happy to see Scarlett Johansson pass her again, although she'd be even happier to see a woman of color get that honor. After all, the 47 year-old actress knows how much harder it can be to succeed for actresses of color in particular to get these types of high-profile jobs.

Many of Zoe Saldaña's best movies include major franchises, from Pirates of the Caribbean, to Star Trek, to Guardians of the Galaxy, to the Avatar movies. And when Avengers: Endgame and Avatar duked it out to be the highest grossing movie of all time, she happened to be in both of those titles. Later in the same interview, the award-winning actress spoke more about the honor of being the most successful film actress ever, offering:

Saldaña's success story is pretty incredible, including her recent Academy Award win for Emilia Pérez. It sounds like she has a great perspective about the heights of her career, especially with her family's immigrant background. She's put in the work, and is now the most bankable movie star in the industry.

Zoe Saldaña has a number of upcoming projects coming, although it remains to be seen if more Avatar movies are coming down the line. As for Scarlett Johansson, she's got a number of big projects coming down the line including The Batman Part II.

Because of her various roles, Zoe Saldaña currently sits atop the all-time list of high-grossing actors. Avatar, Star Trek and Guardians of the Galaxy are amongst some of Saldaña's best movies and, in the process of making so much money for studios, she's also amassed a strong fanbase. While the there are plenty who line up to watch the A-lister's work, he kids aren't so keen on checking any of it out. However, Saldaña is actually “proud” of the reason they avoid her body of work, and it's quite different from the awkward feelings that prompt other celebrity kids avoid their parents' work.

Thanks to her most recent flick, Avatar: Fire and Ash, which scored $1.490 billion worldwide at the box office, Saldaña nabbed Scarlett Johansson’s crown as the highest-grossing star of all time. During the Crossroads alum's interview with TIME, she got real about who in her family is her biggest fan and who avoids her blockbusters like the plague:

It's sweet hearing that Saldaña's husband, Marco Perego hypes her up and finds her to be both “amazing” and “beautiful” on and off camera. However, I find it funny that her 11-year-old twins Cy Aridio and Bowie Ezio and 9-year-old son Zen Anton Hilario aren't exactly keen on sitting through a Marvel Cinematic Universe movie or an Avatar flick.

Zoe Saldaña’s sons wouldn't be the first children of A-listers who don’t want to watch their parents’ flicks. For instance, Jennifer Garner’s kids stay away from her movies so that their view of their mom isn't distorted, and Jason Isaacs' kids won’t watch his stuff in order to keep from seeing their dad “have sex or murder people” on screen. As for Saldaña’s kids, their reasoning for not watching their mom's work is actually very precious:

I can see where the kids are coming from. There’s no denying that a lot of Zoe Saldaña’s movies are violent. Whether she’s in motion-capture attire while fighting off Pandorian threats in the Avatar movies or slicing through intergalactic enemies as Gamora in the MCU film, she takes on quite a few combat-heavy roles. It seems Saldaña’s kids are already quite conscientious when it comes to violence, and I love that their mom admires them for sticking to that principle.

Also, even though the sons of the Pirates of the Caribbean alum may not watch her movies, they’re still proud of their dear mom and love her. During Saldaña’s TIME Magazine Zoom call, they had no problems interrupting their mom with requests for snacks and hugs. Yes, even an award-winning actress still needs to sweetly attend to her matronly duties when necessary.

So, given that Zoe Saldaña’s sons don't care for violence, I can't help but wonder if they'll still feel compelled to check out any of her non-action-heavy performances at some point. I mean, they're surely too young to see her Academy Award-winning performance in Emilia Pérez right now, but maybe they'll see that and some of the star's other smaller films at some point. We'll have to wait and see but, for now, I wouldn't expect to get any thoughts from the trio of boys about Marvel or Avatar.

Speaking of which, check out Saldaña’s first two Avatar movies and her appearances as Gamora in the MCU flicks by streaming those with a Disney+ subscription.

It's hard to believe it's been over a decade since Elizabeth Olsen made her debut as Wanda Maximoff a.k.a. the Scarlet Witch within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. By the time she was cast in the role for Avengers: Age of Ultron, Olsen was coming off her indie success in Martha Marcy May Marlene and was steadily moving into the mainstream space. Put simply Olsen is the perfect Wanda for the MCU. Interestingly enough, though, she was initially under the impression that she was auditioning for a totally different heroine.

During a panel at C2E2 in Chicago, Olsen revealed that her MCU journey was a bit unexpected. Not only did she think she was auditioning for a character other than Scarlet Witch, she thought she was actually being considered for a different Marvel franchise altogether. And let's just say the other franchise was a bit more cosmic. Olsen explained (via Popverse):

So Olsen seemingly believed was going out for Guardians of the Galaxy and, apparently, her brothers put the thought of Gamora, the alien adopted daughter of Thanos, in her head. It's honestly interesting to think about what Olsen's take on the green-skinned warrior would've been like.

That role, however, ultimately went to Zoe Saldaña, who also ended up joining the Avengers cast for Infinity War and Endgame. I personally can’t imagine anyone else in that part, as Saldaña played Gamora impeccably, capturing the rough exterior which was hiding a much more sensitive character. She also had great chemistry with Chris Pratt, who played her love interest, Peter Quill (a.k.a. Star-Lord) in the five films they did together.

Going off of this, I can’t imagine Scarlet Witch being played by anyone other than Elizabeth Olsen either. Scarlet Witch became one of the most powerful characters in the MCU, but that power was also held by someone deeply human with complex emotions. Olsen played the character not like a superhero, but as she would play any flawed character with a power struggle and complicated relationships. The witch blossomed even more WandaVision, and Wanda was one of the brightest spots in the MCU for me before her death at the end of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Clearly, the Marvel casting directors made the right decisions when it came to casting both Olsen and Saldaña in the franchise, however. This whole situation also speaks to the secrecy that commonly surrounds the Marvel films and how actors don’t even know what characters they are auditioning for when they are considered for a Marvel project. I'd say that Olsen's meeting ended up changing the course of her career, as she'll likely be synonymous with the Scarlet Witch for years to come.

You can revisit Elizabeth Olsen’s run as Scarlet Witch by watching the Avengers films, as well as WandaVision, which are currently streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Superhero fans who are also excited about projects coming to the MCU should also read up on upcoming Marvel movies for information on what’s to come.

It’s the job of the Avatar filmmakers to make us believe Pandora exists when we watch James Cameron’s films, but wow, is it a grueling process to do so! CinemaBlend just got the chance to go to Lightstorm Entertainment in Manhattan Beach, California earlier this week to learn how those blue aliens get made thanks to the art of performance capture, and we got schooled by Fire And Ash producer Rae Sanchini.

While we were there, we witnessed a live camera demo with VFX supervisor Richard Baneham on the same stage where the likes of Zoë Saldana, Kate Winslet and Sigourney Weaver did their performances with dots on their faces during the production of Fire And Ash. We also sat down with Sanchini, and here’s what the producer had to say about performance capture:

After being at the studio in person, I can finally say I have an understanding of the process myself. But even with that said, I’m mind-blown over the whole thing. As Sanchini spoke, it all starts with the actors coming together to film the scenes on a massive soundstage in Manhattan Beach with performance capture suits on. As she continued to explain:

If you haven’t already, I highly recommend watching the bonus features of the Avatar movies. Fire And Ash just dropped on digital, and if you buy a copy, you’ll also get over three hours of bonus features that cover the making of these movies from every stage. Before we go on with Sanchini’s comments, take a look at this visual slideshow of how it’s done:

While a typical movie shoot involves the filmmakers setting up how every shot will look like and shooting a series of close ups, longshots and so forth with the actors, it’s very different for Avatar. A bunch of cameras film them all at the same time like they are literally living each moment, except they look kind of ridiculous. As Sanchini added:

Jack Champion, a.k.a. Spider, had it even harder because he had to shoot his scenes twice: for motion capture with the rest of the cast and then in live-action in New Zealand since his character is human. Anyways, once the actors have filmed their scenes, James Cameron and the other editors will go through all the takes and start editing the movie into a “performance edit” out of the best moments from the coverage. They’ll send that over to VFX, which creates a “template” of how they look in Pandora. I’ll let Sanchini take it from there with these words:

Once that’s all done, the Avatar movies move to a new phase of post-production at WETA FX back in New Zealand where the movies become what we saw in theaters over the holiday season. Pretty cool, right? You can watch Fire And Ash at home right now, and check out what Oona Chaplin told us about the making of the film as well here on CinemaBlend.

At the 2026 Oscars, celebrity nominees, presenters and attendees brought their fashion A-game once again on the red carpet. From Sinners’ Wunmi Mosaku showing off her baby bump in a sparkly green dress to Gwyneth Paltrow’s Giorgio Armani Privé dress, there were so many fashion moments that drew attention. Still, the one dress that lives in my head rent-free is Zoe Saldaña’s Cartier-dripping look, which combined lingerie flare and lace.

Saldaña became an Academy Award winner at last year’s Oscars, taking home the Best Supporting Actress award, and she returned this year to present the same honor. While it was a memorable moment to see her hand the statuette to Amy Madigan for her performance in Weapons, I couldn’t get over Saldaña’s Cartier-adorned lace dress! Apparently, neither could the Avatar actress, who, the day after, posted some photos on Instagram, which showed her and her team prepping for the big night:

Now, THAT is a stunning ensemble! It’s like a mix of Victoria’s Secret lingerie with Hollywood glam. Saldaña is wearing a Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello silk satin dress, and the red carpet look has a black sheer lace corset paired with a long black slip shirt. The stunning spaghetti-strapped lacy outfit proves that vintage lingerie doesn’t have to be limited to the bedroom but can also dazzle at high-end celebrity events.

What also got my attention with the Star Trek star’s look was that red-stoned Cartier necklace that streamed down her neckline and screamed royalty. The bold pop of red jewels complemented her black lacy lingerie very well, making her style look edgy yet regal. Based on the wide-eyed smiles that the Oscar presenter was presenting in her BTS photos, it seems she was very proud to wear such a daring yet elegant look.

Overall, the slip dress trend continues to dazzle at red carpet events. Back at 2023’s Gucci Cruise Show, Dakota Johnson looked flawless wearing a black, sheer slip dress that made her dare to be bare. Then, the following year, Brie Larson wore a lacy green slip dress that gave off femme fatale vibes. And let's not forget when Zoë Kravitz flaunted nothing but a lace slip for the Paris premiere of her movie Caught Stealing. It's hard not to love the slip look for showing that lingerie has a rightful place on the red carpet and can transform intimate wear into high-style fashion.

Zoe Saldaña always dresses to impress, and this lingerie-esque slip dress and Cartier necklace add to her lovely roster of outfits. I’m already looking forward to the talented actress’s next red carpet event, and I hope she finds another way to effortlessly blend bold fashion with refined style. In the meantime, watch the glammed up Saldaña as she appeared at the 98th Academy Awards by streaming the ceremony with a Hulu subscription.

The death of James Van Der Beek was clearly a shock to both those who knew him and the millions of fans he made throughout his career. While his ongoing battle with cancer was known, nobody was expecting the news that he had passed away. Fans all over the world are expressing their love for the Dawson’s Creek star, and they’re also opening up their wallets to help his family in the aftermath.

Why James Van Der Beek’s Family Set Up a GoFundMe

A GoFundMe has been set up in James Van Der Beek's name to help his family financially recover from his illness. According to the donation page, the family depleted their resources to pay for the treatment that Van Der Beek was undergoing.

It’s also unlikely that Van Der Beek’s family was going to be seeing much additional income from his work in the coming years. Back in 2012, the actor told Today that there were no residuals from his work on Dawson’s Creek, by far his most well-known and successful role, unlike the cast of other popular shows. At that time, he got a role on the sitcom Don’t Trust the B—- in Apartment 23, playing a fictionalized version of himself. The show was critically well-regarded but only lasted two seasons.

With savings gone and little expected in the future, the GoFundMe is dedicated to getting the actor's family back on their feet. The good news is that it’s doing exactly that, and some big names are answering the call.

Zoë Saldaña, Steven Spielberg, And More Are Helping Out

The GoFundMe asked for $1.5 million for the family, and it’s already blown past that goal and, as of this writing, is sitting at $2.1 million. The vast majority of donations are, like most GoFundMe results, small-dollar donations, anything from $10 to $100.

However, a few of them are much bigger donations, and from some pretty significant names. Steven Spielberg and his wife Kate Capshaw donated $10,000 as did Jonathan Chu, who appears to be Wicked director Jon M. Chu. Lyn Lear, the widow of the late TV producer Norman Lear, has donated $5,000.

Names like Zachary Quinto and Derek Hough have each donated $1,000. Zoë Saldaña may end up donating more than anybody however; she’s set up for a $2,500 donation, but one that will be given monthly, meaning ongoing support for the family of James Van Der Beek.

It’s wonderful to see so many turn out to help, and so many big names giving money to a good cause. It looks like James Van Der Beek’s wife and children will be just fine, thanks to the generosity of many strangers and a few names we all know.

When it comes to being cast in high-grossing movie franchises, Zoe Saldaña clearly hit the jackpot. From playing Neytiri in three Avatar movies, to her tenure as Gamora in the MCU and playing Uhura in the Star Trek films, it’s no wonder the actress has been considered one of the highest grossing actors of all time. But, could Avatar: Fire And Ash propel her to No. 1, knocking Scarlett Johansson from that spot? Let’s talk about it.

Zoe Saldaña Just Became The No. 2 Highest-Grossing Actor Of All Time

Per USA Today, Zoe Saldaña just moved from her spot on the highest-grossing actors of all time list from No. 3 to No. 2, surpassing Samuel L. Jackson thanks to Avatar: Fire And Ash. According to the report, the James Cameron sequel has propelled her movies’ grosses to a grand total of $14,998,849,825 worldwide, over Jackson’s $14,613,700,731.

Avatar: Fire And Ash has made $761.6 million worldwide across less than two weeks, making it one of the biggest 2025 movie releases commercially. In its opening weekend at the box office, it made $88 million domestically and $257 internationally, soaring to a $345 million worldwide debut. It had a solid second weekend too, taking home $64 million domestically and reaching $740 million worldwide. The Hollywood Reporter projects it will reach $1 billion by the end of next weekend.

What Stands Between Zoe Saldaña Surpassing Scarlett Johansson’s No. 1 Status?

Now, Scarlett Johansson became the highest-grossing actor of all time over the summer following Jurassic World: Rebirth adding $869 million to her grand total, bringing her total to $15,401,507,141. If you do some basic subtraction, that puts Saldaña at about $402.6 million away from surpassing Johansson and becoming the new queen of the box office.

In order for Avatar: Fire And Ash to be the actress’s ticket to that spot, Avatar: Fire And Ash will have to gross at least $1.164 billion worldwide by the end of its box office run. Could that happen? We do know that its predecessor made it to $2 billion in late January 2023, but so far, Fire And Ash has been performing a bit lower than Way of Water.

Since Fire And Ash has the leg up of not having a lot of competition throughout the month of January, I think Zoe Saldaña has this pretty much in the bag given Avatar 3 is just getting started at the box office, but we’ll have to wait and see for sure. Whatever does happen, it’s pretty amazing that two ladies are leading the highest-grossing actor list over the likes of other big box office heavy weights such as Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Pratt, Tom Cruise, Dwayne Johnson and Tom Hanks.

The Sully family is back. Just three years after The Way of Water, the third installment of James Cameron’s Pandora epic, is set to hit the big screen (with very specific instructions from the filmmaker, at that). Avatar: Fire and Ash hits the 2025 movie calendar on December 19, continuing Jake and Neytiri’s story following the events of the previous film. Critics have seen the movie, and they’re split over whether the gorgeous-looking product justifies its runtime and repetition.

This time around, Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña’s characters have joined the Metkayina clan, who encounter the “Ash People,” an aggressive Na’vi group led by Oona Chaplin’s Varang. First reactions to screenings saw critics noting some repetition in the narrative, and in CinemaBlend’s review of Avatar: Fire and Ash, Corey Chichizola agrees that there are fewer new aspects to Pandora this time around. The stakes, however, make it feel like more than the middle section of a larger franchise. He rates the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and writes:

Bill Bria of SlashFilm, meanwhile has no notes, giving Avatar: Fire and Ash a perfect 10 out of 10. The critic acknowledges the overlap that some are complaining about but says there are so many new concepts, creatures and cultures that claims of repetitiveness are nitpicking. Bria thinks this offering is the best so far, writing:

Max Scoville of IGN admits to experiencing some déjà vu, with some of the visuals and story beats treading close to those in previous films, but its lack of newness is made up for with the familiarity of the characters and a more-than-satisfying ending. The critic gives it an “Amazing” 9 out of 10 and says:

David Rooney of THR says Fire and Ash’s “been-there, bought-the-T-shirt fatigue” is hard to ignore, especially with a bloated runtime of over three hours. This critic has had “enough with the Modigliani Smurfs already,” writing:

Robbie Collin of The Telegraph also wonders if we need (or even want) more from the Avatar franchise when the third movie had so little to add. Collin lists the repeated scenes, which include another pterodactyl race, a bioluminescent sensory bath and more snorkelling with plesiosaurs. Rating the film just 1 out of 5 stars, the critic says:

The Rotten Tomatoes score of Avatar: Fire and Ash reflects critics’ divide over this third installment, rating it a collective 68% (compared to Avatar’s 81% and its sequel’s 76%). However, by all accounts, the world of Pandora is still one to behold — especially in 3D — so if this is a movie you’ve been looking forward to, you can catch it in theaters starting Friday, December 19.

Hype is building around the 2025 movie release Avatar: Fire and Ash, and for good reason. One aspect of James Cameron's film that's sure to get fans excited is his use of insane 3D effects. Early screenings are already calling it “visually superb!” So it feels very fitting that lead actress Zoe Saldaña decided to bring that 3D vibe to a Miami screening by way of her floral dress.

At the Miami screening of Fire and Ash, Saldaña's floral ensemble seemed to be truly eye-popping. The Oscar winner was all smiles as she greeted photographers, and she looked absolutely stunning. Check out her dress, which I wished was currently in my closet:

With her hands up in the air, the Guardians of the Galaxy actress certainly isn’t hiding her excitement, and I'm just hyped over her gorgeous floral gown. Straight from Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel collection, Saldaña’s plunging white dress features 3D flowers from top to bottom. It’s like looking at a landscape painting that's just too difficult to ignore.

The Emilia Perez actress isn’t simply just posing with her red carpet fashion either, but she’s showing off a living work of art that that's just completely unforgettable to me. Saldaña seemed to relish relish the Chanel gown, and she even celebrated the look with the Instagram post below:

Talk about flawless! I just love Saldaña’s poise in every photo. Whether she’s all smiles while striking a pose or turning away from the camera with a serene expression, she's showing all kinds of model behavior.

With Avatar: Fire and Ash being one of the biggest movies to end the year with, it's not surprising that Zoe Saldaña would want to bring her a-game with her fashion choices. So far, she's brought back floating shoulders at the Paris photo call and rocked a long, lacy white gown at the China premiere. Needless to say, she's been dressed to impress.

As for Fire and Ash itself, Saldaña's character, Neytiri, further evolves in the movie. Neytiri’s character arc takes a dark turn and will have her grappling with the death of her oldest son, Neteyam (as seen in The Way of Water). The “pain” Neytiri endures is expected to turn into rage that could not only affect her but also her family. As the presence of the Mangkwan clan poses a new threat, as well as her conflicting feelings about her adopted human son, Spider, there's going to be a lot going on in this threequel

Honestly, Zoe Saldaña’s floral dress feels symbolic in mirroring her character’s evolution. Or, at the very least, it feels like a sweet counterbalance to the use of fire that's been teased in this latest Avatar movie.

Of course, while we're talking about Saldaña’s attire, we also have to give flowers (sorry) to her stylists for keeping her looking so chic during this press tour. I'm curious to see what kind of outfits the A-lister breaks out next, especially as awards season ramps up. More immediately, though, be sure to see Saldaña’s performance in Avatar: Fire and Ash, opens in theaters on December 19th.

The last time we caught up with the Sully family in 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water, they were met with tragedy. One of Neytiri and Jake’s children, Neteyam, is killed in the third act while trying to rescue his siblings from Quaritch. In Avatar: Fire And Ash, the fallout of this is explored, particularly through Neytiri and Jake’s relationship. Sam Worthington previously teased a “division” that pops up between them, and I spoke to Zoe Saldaña about it.

In Fire And Ash, the core of Neytiri and Jake’s big conflict lies in if they are going to continue to welcome Spider into their family or cast him out following his ability to breathe on Pandora – which fans have been getting heated about since the plotline was revealed in a trailer. Here’s what Saldaña told us about Neytiri’s arc this movie around:

During CinemaBlend’s conversation with the Avatar star, Saldaña discussed exploring Neytiri’s hate toward humans further this time around, and it wasn’t an easy part of the character’s journey for her to delve into. As she continued:

In The Way Of Water, we definitely see some of this when Neytiri grabs Spider and threatens to kill him as leverage from Quaritch despite the human character being part of her family since he was a baby. The character certainly has seen a lot of “evil” from humans over the years, from them trying to colonize over the planet, to killing other Na’vi and her own son. But as Saldaña pointed out, she doesn’t think that gives her the right to let her anger control her.

Saldaña suggests Neytiri is a racist because she has taken such a heightened antagonistic approach toward humans. The actress also told us this about playing that role:

In addition to this aspect of Fire And Ash, Jake and Neytiri will also come across a new Na’vi clan led by a fierce leader named Varang. Quaritch is also back at it trying to hunt down Jake since he’s thought of as a criminal of Earth. The Sully family kids Lo’ak, Kiri and Tuk will also be dealing with the grief of their brother’s death.

You can see how Neytiri’s character goes from here when Avatar: Fire And Ash debuts in theaters on December 19. And check out what James Cameron told us about his current thoughts on Avatar 4 and 5 here on CinemaBlend.

Generally speaking, it’s considered a fashion faux pas to sport the same outfit as someone else, and when dealing with red carpet rules, one certainly does not want such an offense to occur. However, Avatar: Fire and Ash star Zoë Saldaña and Fallout lead Ella Purnell managed to, ahem, skirt the issue a bit at their recent premieres. Not only were they attending different all-star spectaculars on the same night, but their twin-adjacent gowns actually diverged from one another in a big way.

What Incredibly Similar Dresses Did Zoë Saldaña And Ella Purnell Wear On Their Respective Red Carpets?

Red carpet dressing seems to be a bit of a minefield. Not only will potentially billions of people have opinions about what you wear and how you look in it, but there’s always the possibility of stepping out in something that’s identical or nearly so to what someone else is sporting. Well, thanks to the 2025 movie schedule and our 2025 TV premieres, Ella Purnell and Zoë Saldaña just delivered on the latter.

December 8 saw both ladies hit the carpet for big events: Saldaña attended the Chinese premiere of Avatar: Fire and Ash (which is already being called “visually superb”), while Purnell was at the Los Angeles premiere of Fallout Season 2. Let’s take a look at the Guardians of the Galaxy star first, shall we?

As you can see, the Oscar winner is wearing a long, lacy, lingerie-esque dress that adds a little something extra to her hips, a la those gowns in the 1700s that must have made it impossible for women to walk normally without knocking knick knacks off of shelves. The silhouette is nearly identical to the one worn by Purnell. She once said she loves complex characters, and it appears that she feels the same about her dresses sometimes, because even with the obvious similarities, her look has a bit more going on in some aspects, while taking away some others:

Red Carpet Fashion Awards had the deets on each dress, and it turns out that both women are wearing gowns from Erdem’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection, which is why they’re nearly the same dress. But, we can plainly see that the star of Yellowjackets and much more chose a minidress from the collection, and along with hers having hanging sleeves, quite a few flowing ties and different embroidery. It makes it a lot easier to pick these two out of a lineup.

To be blunt, while both of the ladies look lovely, neither dress is something that a mere mortal could get away with, right? You’d have to be one of those unicorn, always-looks-good-in-everything types to pull off an outfit that purposely widens the hips, not to mention those hanging sleeves or the inherent difficulty that many of us have when it comes to wearing a strapless dress and not having whatever we’re using to support the boobage simply slide down our ribcage within minutes of putting it on.

This, I suppose, is why some folks just get red carpet dressing. Kudos to both of them!

There's a new fashion trend on the scene, and it’s not what fans may think. While we’ve broken down the likes of the naked dress trend and the Barbiecore pink color craze from 2023, it’s now time to talk about floating shoulders. While many have attempted the silhouette over the years, it feels like it was first popularized by Florence Pugh with her 2024 Oscars look. Now, Zoe Saldaña is rocking the look and going about it in a whole new way.

Saldaña arrived at a photo call in Paris France for her latest film, Avatar: Fire and Ash, looking absolutely stunning. Her hair and makeup are flawless, but everyone is talking about her sculptural black leather top by Balenciaga. Just like the floating islands in Pandora, the leather collar floated above her neck. This could be the first time some have seen the floating shoulders look in awhile, and I'm loving it. The floating shoulders give the dress a regal and futuristic look, which is perfect for an Avatar event. Check it out:

I love this look, I think it is elegant and also edgy, bringing something different to a press event. This is very different from how Pugh famously wore her floating shoulders look. Pugh’s Del Core dress was mostly fitted, aside from the floating peaks on her straps. It was also a cool look, but it felt a little more like a take on a classic bodice rather than something totally different like Saldaña’s top. You can see Pugh’s ensemble below:

The trend didn’t stop with Pugh. Emily Blunt wore a similar type of bodice by Schiaparelli the same year when she was nominated at the Oscars for Oppenheimer. Also, just recently, Emily Ratajkowski also wore a floating shoulder dress at the 5th Annual Academy Museum Gala, proving that this push towards a more sculptural style is making waves in the fashion industry. It feels like a new fashion wave, and I’m interested to see how this trend evolves as designers get more and more creative.

They all look absolutely stunning and chic, so I couldn’t even begin to play “Who Wore It Best.” However, I think the way Saldaña is doing things feels most unique, not stopping the elevated look just at the shoulder peaks but the entire top of the dress. It’s undeniably cool and cutting edge, and I have a feeling fans are going to see a lot more looks like this as we enter into awards season.

Surely, we'll also see more as the Academy Award-winning actress continues to promote the buzzy new Avatar film as well. Whether it's "floating" or not, I'm hoping Saldaña -- who plays Neytiri in the sci-fi film series --sports some attire that more overtly pays homage to the world of Pandora.

While Zoe Saldaña makes waves with a stunning fashion moment, you can see her on the big screen in Avatar: Fire and Ash, which hits theaters on December 19, 2025. Fans of the franchise can also check her out in the previous two Avatar movies, which are both streaming with a Disney+ subscription.

James Cameron’s Avatar is without a doubt one of the most epic franchises to ever grace the big screen, and just three years after the long-awaited sequel, the third installment Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to hit the 2025 movie calendar on December 19. Talk about an early Christmas present! Early screenings have begun, and first reactions are lauding another visual masterpiece, though moviegoers have one nagging issue (and it’s not the run time exceeding 3 hours).

Avatar: Fire and Ash picks up about a year after Jake (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña) joined the Metkayina clan, as they continue to grieve the loss of their oldest son Neteyam. They encounter a new enemy clan led by Varang (Oona Chaplin) as the conflict on Pandora escalates. Courtney Howard loves this addition, saying this is why we go to the movies. In the critic’s words:

Chris Parker also says he enjoyed the upcoming action movie, also praising Oona Chaplin and the incredible animation, though the critic has one nit-pick:

And here’s where we get into the complaints about Avatar: Fire and Ash repeating some of what we’ve already seen in the first two films. However, while Shaurya Chawla makes note of it, the repetition doesn’t take away from what he calls “great spectacle filmmaking.” Chawla writes:

Matt Neglia of Next Best Picture says Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña are doing some of their best work yet in Avatar 3, which is beautiful, thrilling and admittedly a little frustrating. Even with some questionable choices, Neglia writes, it’s still better than most of the other blockbusters out there. The critic continues:

Adam Patla agrees that less new material equals more repetitive stories, but this critic really enjoyed the heavier themes of mourning and conflict, writing:

Any complaints in these first reactions shouldn’t keep people from checking out the upcoming movie, because every critique was couched within glowing responses to the product James Cameron has put out. Anthony Gagliardi of The Movie Podcast says:

Jacob Kolness uses a couple of negative-sounding descriptors before conceding that nobody else out there is making films like the Avatar series. Kolness writes:

Erik Davis says Avatar: Fire and Ash is the epitome of what James Cameron does best, with his strong ambition and heart. Davis loves how the three films are brought together as the Sully family fights to define who they truly want to be. He continues:

We’ve still got a couple of weeks to wait until we can witness the next chapter of this science fiction epic, as it hits theaters on Friday, December 19. Will James Cameron be able to make the “two metric fucktons of money” he needs in order to justify those fourth and fifth Avatar movies he’s already working on? Only time will tell.

Zoe Saldaña is more than just an actress who gives amazing blockbuster movie performances. She’s also a major fashionista with a sensational talent for striking a pose. With that, it's not uncommon to see Saldaña grace the cover of a magazine. With that, during the Oscar winner’s latest magazine cover shoot, she sported a beautiful, white gown that was sheer and impeccable.

I already knew Saldaña could rock sheer when she posed for Harper’s Bazaar in a skin-tight ensemble. However, her new cover shoot for Vogue Mexico not only made her transparent look sexy but also very ethereal. Take a look at Saldaña’s glamourously stunning post from her Instagram stories below:

It’s like staring straight at an angel! Hugging her body in deep bliss, the Avatar actress seemed to be soaking in the moment amid her Vogue spread. In a behind-the-scenes video, the talented actress' sheer, white gown really took center stage, giving off an exquisitely Bohemian vibe.

The transparent Chloé gown had puff sleeves and layers of ruffles that gave the ensemble a very timeless look. What makes the Emilia Pérez actress’s magazine look so daring is the see-through gown revealing a white thong. Can you say dare to be bare, darling?

I've got to give Zoe Saldaña a lot of credit for being able to pull off any style she chooses. Whether she brings the chain letter look to the next level or dons a Fourth of July bikini, the Guardians of the Galaxy alum has her modeling skills in the bag. Those who'd like to how Saldaña’s photoshoot turned out can check out the stylish star's finished cover photos below:

I can’t get over how beautiful the New Jersey native looks. With her arms stretched out and flowing with the wind, she appears to stand before us as something more than human. Her characters Neytiri and Gamora may come from other worlds, but Saldaña, in her sheer flowing gown, radiates a celestial beauty all on her own. She represents confidence and poise that’s worthy of applause. Together, these qualities make her presence all the more unforgettable and visually appealing.

Other than dressing to impress in front of photographers, Saldaña continues to keep herself busy with big projects ahead of her. She’ll be returning as Neytiri for the 2025 movie release Avatar: Fire and Ash, in which her character will be facing a new threat in the form of the Ash People. Saldaña will also be returning for the Paramount+ series Lioness, which has been renewed for a third season. So she definitely has some work on her plate.

Zoe Saldaña may be used to playing intense roles, but her latest photoshoot conveys a peaceful and beautiful aura. Her beauty continues to be unmatched and reminds us that real stars shine bright in any space they enter. You can see Saldaña give another out-of-this-world performance via Avatar: Fire and Ash, which opens theaters on December 19th.

The finale of Lioness Season 2 aired on December 8, 2024. Now, about ten months later, as we’re nearing the end of the 2025 TV schedule, the Taylor Sheridan series has finally been renewed for Season 3. Obviously, that kind of window between a finale and renewal is fairly unusual, but getting the specifics figured out took time.

Lioness features many major A-listers (like many Taylor Sheridan shows do), and figuring out a schedule for production is time-consuming, per Deadline. Apparently, Season 3 (which you can see the announcement for below) was actually greenlighted earlier this year. However, it wasn’t announced publicly because the schedule, specifically for Kidman and Saldaña, was still being figured out.

Personally, I don’t find this all that surprising. Take Nicole Kidman and her work as an example; she is very busy. In 2024, the year Season 2 of Lioness came out, she also released the miniseries Expats and The Perfect Couple, as well as the movies A Family Affair, Babygirl and Spellbound. Also, in 2025, she was part of the movie Holland and Season 2 of the series Nine Perfect Strangers.

Then, as we look forward to Season 3, we can also anticipate the release of Practical Magic 2, which recently wrapped. On top of that, Kidman is in post-production on two other TV shows called Scarpetta and Margo’s Got Money Troubles, and in pre-production on Discretion and Girls and Their Horses. I bet that kind of slate alone makes scheduling Lioness hard.

Saldaña has also been incredibly busy. In 2024, she released Emilia Pérez, which she won an Oscar for, and this year, the animated movie Elio premiered, and Avatar: Fire and Ash is slated to come out in December.

I imagine it becomes an even harder puzzle when you factor in the rest of the Lioness cast, which notably includes Michael Kelly, Morgan Freeman, Laysla De Oliveira, Dave Annable, Jill Wagner and more.

Along with that, while Saldaña had a three-season deal, there were reports months ago that Kidman had to negotiate a new one for Season 3, which, according to Deadline, took time. That deal came together earlier this year; however, scheduling still needed to be figured out.

So, considering all this, I’m grateful it’s all worked out, and now we know Season 3 of Lioness is really coming.

It is worth noting that it also took this long to renew Lioness for Season 2.

Anyway, now it’s time to get excited, because Season 3 of this espionage thriller is coming! And thankfully, while we wait, there’s a lot of other Sheridan shows coming down the pipe. At the moment, Tulsa King is being released for those with a Paramount+ subscription, and this month, on October 26, to be exact, Season 4 of Mayor of Kingstown will premiere in the same place. Then, on November 16, Season 2 of Landman will start, and over the course of the following months, we’ll get a few upcoming Yellowstone shows by way of the Rip and Beth spinoff and Kayce’s CBS series.

So, you’ll have plenty to watch while we wait, because the wait for Season 3 of Lioness really is on, which is very, very exciting.

This story has been updated to include more information on scheduling challenges.

When it comes to representation in Pixar movies, the animation company has been including more leading characters of color in many of its recent films across the past decade, from Coco to its latest title, Elio, which is new on streaming this week. Earlier this year, when CinemaBlend learned about the movie at Pixar’s headquarters in Emeryville, California, we talked to the filmmakers about the Dominican family at the center of it.

Elio is a fun space adventure that also has a lot of say about parenthood. In the movie, Elio and his aunt Olga Solís are adjusting to living with each other in the wake of Elio’s parents dying, and the heart of the movie lies in their relationship. Here’s what co-director Domee Shi told us about what Zoe Saldaña brought to the movie as Aunt Olga:

Elio and his family are of Mexican-Dominican heritage, which marks a first for Pixar. Since Saldaña is half Dominican herself, she could infuse some of her own experience and specificities of her culture to the movie with the filmmakers. They took her ideas to heart.

It sounds like the Oscar winner was generous with the filmmakers about this behind the scenes. It only helped make the character more authentic. As co-director Madeline Sharafian added during our interview:

Olga Solís is an Air Force major who is struggling with basically becoming a parent and adjusting to giving up her dreams to be an astronaut in order to raise him. The movie has been praised for being accurate to the U.S. Space Force.

Elio also received positive praise from critics and audiences alike (just check out our Elio review) during its underwhelming theatrical release in early summer. As Shi (who also helmed Turning Red) also shared about working with Saldaña on the animated movie:

Zoe Saldaña is also a mother herself of kids around Elio’s age, as she has three sons with husband Marco Perego. They have 10-year-old identical twins Cy and Bowie, and an eight-year-old named Zen. Producer Mary Alice Drumm said this about collaborating with Saldaña on the new Pixar movie:

It’s great to hear Zoe Saldaña was so involved in the process of bringing the studio’s first Dominican family to screen, along with her great talents that have also been made apparent in her other sci-fi projects like the Avatar and Star Trek movies. Now that the original movie is on Disney+, you can watch for the specificity Saldaña brought to the role on streaming.

Zoe Saldaña had a very busy past year filming Lioness Season 2 and, amid her work obligations, she became an Oscar winner for her performance in Emilia Pérez. More recently, though, it seems the fan-favorite actress has been enjoying a little downtime with her family this summer. With that, Saldaña took some time to share breathtaking photos on social media, and they're filled with gorgeous, unforgettable views.

More than a few celebrities have been having a lot of fun in the sun in recent months. Examples include Jennifer Lopez giving us summer goals with her bikini photo dump, or Sydney Sweeney hanging out by a lake with her adorable dog. As for Zoe Saldaña, her lovely family vacation photos make me want to go on holiday. Take a look at the snapshots the former Marvel star shared to Instagram:

“Sea x sunset x squad” sounds like a wonderful mantra. It appears that the Avatar actress had a chillaxing time lounging on her boat with a beautiful mountain view behind her. I honestly have no idea where she went, but I’m still envious of her surroundings. Also, another photo shows a stunning faded orange sunset that I can’t take my eyes off of.

Last but not least, Zoe Saldaña showed herself in great company with her husband, Marco Perego, and their three boys, who are rocking those shades. Behind them is yet another eye-popping view of the misty blue sky and sea, which perfectly framed the family’s fun-looking getaway.

Considering what a busy woman Saldaña has been in the past few years, she has a right to take some time to enjoy herself. We're also, of course, talking about the same woman who's starred in four of the highest-grossing movies of all time. I really hope Saldaña was able to truly take in the summer fun. Given how busy her life can be, I'd hope that Saldaña enjoys the little moments like hanging with her kids and hubby or riding around in a golf cart on July 4th.

Of course, summer is now winding down, and the next few months are going to be busy for Zoe Saldaña. She’s got the 2025 movie release of Avatar: Fire and Ash on the horizon, and it's set to hit theaters on December 19th. With that, she'll be participating in a considerable amount of press soon. She's also been working intermittently on the fourth film in James Cameron's sci-fi franchise, which is set to arrive in 2029.

Saldaña will also return for Season 3 of Lioness. With so many upcoming projects, I'm hopeful that the A-lister manages to get a break or two amid her flurry of gigs and press obligations.

Summer may be over, but I'm going to try to hold on to the warm and sunny vibes that Zoe Saldaña’s family vacation pics give off. Here's to even more lovely memories for the actress and her loved ones. Now, if you'll excuse me, I feel the need to look over some vacations brochures.

There’s a lot going on in the world of Zoe Saldaña, with James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash hitting the 2025 movie calendar later this year and a third season being announced for her series Lioness. However, the 2025 Academy Award winner seems to know the importance of slowing down and taking time for herself and her family as well. Saldaña posted some “behind the camera” photos from a recent getaway, and she's definitely giving me the travel bug.

Zoe Saldaña posted several photos to Instagram that show her on vacation with her husband Marco Perego-Saldaña and their three sons — 10-year-old twins Cy and Bowie and 8-year-old Zen. I’m not sure where they are, but I’m loving this sultry, black-and-white peek behind the curtain of her personal life. Check out the photos for yourself below:

I am even loving the chaos of that first pic, because at some point in any good getaway, your room should be a mess of overflowing suitcases and clothes laid out on the bed. It also looks like a formal event was on the itinerary from the jacket we can see, and we know Zoe Saldaña is capable of some amazing things in the name of celebrity fashion. We all remember her next-level take on chain mail, right?

Also, shout-out to walking around topless. What a vibe!

The other photos on her post featured members of her family, including one that appeared to be taken from a window or balcony that showed her boys holding hands and waiting to cross the street. She really captured a homey feel, sneaking a shot into the kitchen where a couple of loved ones were cooking.

More pics showed her husband and their children, and I’m now really getting the itch to grab my own family, get out and explore somewhere unfamiliar. I want to sample new cuisine and feel the ocean breeze on my face. Oh, Zoe, what have you done to me?

I’d have to imagine she’s had this effect on quite a few people this summer. In the days leading up to this most recent post, the actress has shared more vacation photos of her and her husband kissing in front of a picturesque background. She even got cheeky, showing off her dance moves and her yellow bikini.

Last month she was living her best Fourth of July life, complete with bikini, hat, sunglasses and golf cart, as she drove care-free off to her next adventure. Speaking of her next adventure, fans are a little nervous about what’s to come in Avatar 3, especially after Zoe Saldaña teased the “pain” Neytiri will encounter. Check out the trailer for Avatar: Fire and Ash below:

Big things are happening, but we’ll have to wait to see more of Zoe Saldaña and the rest of the Avatar: Fire and Ash cast when the movie hits the big screen on Friday, December 19. In the meantime, the first two Avatar movies are available to stream with a Disney+ subscription.

It never ceases to amaze me when an actor is the spitting image of the real person they are selected to play. I do not think a historical portrayal necessarily lives or dies by the performer’s resemblance to the subject, but I think it is something to appreciate, especially when you consider the amount of biopics starring actors who bear absolutely no resemblance to their role. Here are a few notable examples of actors who were clearly hired for their talents above anything else.

Michael Shannon As Elvis Presley (Elvis & Nixon)

The most requested photo in the National Archives depicts Elvis Presley shaking hands with Richard Nixon in the Oval Office, and the events surrounding this historic meeting at the White House are dramatized in 2016's Elvis & Nixon. Kevin Spacey makes for a visually believable depiction of the 37th United States President, but the otherwise wonderfully talented Michael Shannon simply does not cut it as the one many call the King of Rock 'n Roll, even with a decent jumpsuit and wig.

John Wayne As Genghis Khan (The Conqueror)

Oh, boy, where do we begin with this one? The only visual evidence we have of what Genghis Khan looked like is artist renderings, but it does not take an expert to notice that John Wayne was not Asian. Still, the legendary Western movie star was cast as the Mongol chief in 1956's The Conqueror, which has since been regarded as one of the worst films ever made.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson As John Lennon (Nowhere Boy)

Director Sam Taylor-Johnson's 2009 music biopic Nowhere Boy focuses on the pre-Beatles life of John Lennon, as portrayed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson. If you ask me, the Golden Globe-winning actor might have been a better fit to play, perhaps, Paul McCartney or, better yet, George Harrison.

Tom Cruise As Barry Seal (American Made)

If more people knew about Barry Seal and what he looked like, I believe Tom Cruise's portrayal in 2017's American Made would have been criticized as one of the most egregious miscastings in Hollywood history. The otherwise talented movie star did absolutely nothing to alter his appearance and pass for the ill-fated, heavy-set CIA smuggler, save what I regard as an embarrassing Southern accent.

Julia Roberts As Erin Brockovich (Erin Brockovich)

Julia Roberts gives, arguably, the finest performance of her career as a single mother and paralegal who uncovers a small town pollution scandal in Steven Soderbergh's Erin Brockovich from 2000. However, if a resemblance to the person an actor is portraying were part of the Academy's voting criteria, she might not have won the Oscar.

Denzel Washington As Frank Lucas (American Gangster)

Ridley Scott's 2007 biopic American Gangster dramatizes the career of mobster Frank Lucas, played by Denzel Washington, and also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor as Lucas' brother, Huey. Curiously, Ejiofor actually looks a whole lot more like the real Frank than the two-time Oscar winner. However, Washington was a good friend and frequent collaborator of the director's brother, Tony Scott, so he probably had the role in the bag for that, among other reasons.

Johnny Depp As J.M. Barrie (Finding Neverland)

Oddly enough, J.M. Barrie boasted a striking resemblance to another influential author, Edgar Allan Poe, with his tall forehead and small moustache. However, Johnny Depp, who played the Peter Pan author in 2004's Finding Neverland, does not boast a resemblance to either of them, if you ask me.

Hugh Jackman As P.T. Barnum (The Greatest Showman)

Let's not even bother talking about the many historical inaccuracies from The Greatest Showman, 2017's musical retelling of the origins of the circus, and even ignore the fact that P.T. Barnum was not the kindhearted man Hugh Jackman portrayed him as. All that matters to this list is whether or not the Wolverine star looked the part, and the famously attractive Australian actor most definitely was not a match for Barnum in that regard.

Michael Fassbender As Steve Jobs (Steve Jobs)

Michael Fassbender's Oscar-nominated performance in director Danny Boyle and writer Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs from 2015 is widely regarded as superior to Ashton Kutcher's portrayal in Jobs from two years earlier. However, at least the former That '70s Show cast member can say he resembled the tech pioneer more closely.

Jesse Eisenberg As Mark Zuckerberg (The Social Network)

Mark Zuckerberg once made a surprise SNL cameo, during which he stood right next to host Jesse Eisenberg on the Studio 8H stage, proving that they are certainly not a visual match. The actor does not even bother to imitate the Facebook founder's distinctly low voice when portraying him in 2010's The Social Network, but his Oscar nomination proves that that is not what really matters in the end.

Tom Hanks As Fred Rogers (A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood)

Casting a universally beloved actor such as Tom Hanks to play a universally beloved children's television personality like Fred Rogers, of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood fame, is brilliant in theory. However, even giving the Oscar winner the icon's signature haircut and sweaters is not quite enough to distract from the fact that you are still unmistakably watching Hanks on screen.

Leonardo DiCaprio As Howard Hughes (The Aviator)

A major inspiration for Marvel's Tony "Iron Man" Stark was Howard Hughes, whose resemblance is actually a striking match for both Robert Downey Jr. and Dominic Cooper, who plays Howard Stark in his early years in the MCU. In fact, I think either one of them would have been a better visual fit for the eccentric millionaire in The Aviator than Leonardo DiCaprio, even if his performance in the 2005 biopic makes it one of his best collaborations with the director, Martin Scorsese.

Warren Beatty And Faye Dunaway As Clyde Barrow And Bonnie Parker (Bonnie And Clyde)

From a performance standpoint, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway make a great onscreen duo portraying the titular notorious bank robbers in 1967's Bonnie and Clyde. However, the screen legends' casting does not earn the film any points for historical accuracy, considering Beatty does not have Clyde Barrow's jug ears, nor does Dunaway boast Bonnie Parker's sharp, thin face.

Taraji P. Henson As Katherine G. Johnson (Hidden Figures)

Taraji P. Henson gives an undeniably commanding performance in 2016's Hidden Figures as Katherine G. Johnson, a mathematician who was pivotal in helping NASA figure out space travel. Yet, when comparing the Empire star to photos of the real Johnson, it is clear the actor does not resemble her much at all.

Anthony Hopkins As Richard Nixon (Nixon)

Reportedly, Anthony Hopkins had some hesitation about taking on the lead role of Oliver Stone's 1995 biopic about Richard M. Nixon. Ultimately, I would say the Academy Award winner went on to give a great performance in Nixon, but I find myself distracted by his struggle to hide his accent and his obvious fake teeth and hairpiece that really do not help make him look any closer in resemblance to the disgraced U.S. president.

Margot Robbie As Queen Elizabeth I (Mary Queen Of Scots)

Cate Blanchett previously gave an Academy Award-nominated performance as the lead of 1998's Elizabeth, and even bore a strong resemblance to the royal based on artist renderings. I cannot say the same about Margot Robbie, even if the Australian actor's portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in Mary Queen of Scots was still worthy of praise.

Benedict Cumberbatch As Alan Turing (The Imitation Game)

Benedict Cumberbatch has such a distinct appearance, making it difficult for him to resemble anyone else without heavy alterations. However, nothing was done to make him look any closer to World War II-era computer scientist Alan Turing in The Imitation Game.

Javier Bardem As Desi Arnaz (Being The Ricardos)

Oscar winner Nicole Kidman went above and beyond to physically become Lucille Ball for writer and director Aaron Sorkin's dramatization of what went on behind the scenes of the beloved TV sitcom, I Love Lucy. However, playing her onscreen husband is Oscar winner Javier Bardem, who does not pass for Desi Arnaz in the slightest.

Ray Liotta As Shoeless Joe Jackson (Field Of Dreams)

Technically, Ray Liotta plays the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson in Field of Dreams, but even a person's spectral remnant should look something like them. The infamous MLB player had a much narrower face and wider ears, not to mention that he pitched left-handed, while the actor did the opposite in the beloved sports movie.

Beyoncé As Etta James (Cadillac Records)

No one could possibly deny that Beyoncé has the pipes to match Etta James, which had to have been the reason why she was cast in 2008's Cadillac Records. However, the "At Last" singer was short and round-faced, and the former Destiny's Child member is neither.

Dominic West As Prince Charles III (The Crown)

I mean no disrespect to Prince Charles III, but is it just me, or was The Wire star Dominic West just a little too handsome to play the Royal Family member on The Crown? Then again, any one cast member's portrayal on the historical Netflix series might pale in comparison to Elizabeth Debicki's striking resemblance to Princess Diana.

Kane Hodder As Ed Gein (Ed Gein: The Butcher Of Plainfield)

The most famous actor to wear Jason Voorhees' hockey mask in the Friday the 13th films must have seemed like an inspired choice to play one of the most notorious serial killers in history in 2007's Ed Gein: The Butcher of Plainfield. However, the 6'2", broadly built Kane Hodder does not boast Gein's narrower face and small stature.

Clive Owen As Bill Clinton (Impeachment: American Crime Story)

In most cases, prosthetics can be very helpful in making an actor look more similar to the person they are portraying, such as when Charlize Theron became Megyn Kelly for Bombshell. Clive Owen adopted this method to play Bill Clinton on Impeachment: American Crime Story, but the makeup only caused the English actor to resemble the 1990s-era President even less.

Angelina Jolie As Christine Collins (Changeling)

Christine Collins is the subject of Clint Eastwood's 2008 period film, Changeling, which is based on the true story of when her missing son was replaced by an impostor. Had she been an even better-known historical figure, there might have been more criticism over casting Angelina Jolie, an actor known for her voluptuous lips, as the thin-lipped 1920s woman.

Fred Armisen As Barack Obama (Saturday Night Live)

Considering the fact that the otherwise extremely talented SNL star Fred Armisen is a white man with a subpar impersonation of the 44th. U.S. President, I'll just say that I am glad Jay Pharoah eventually took over as Barack Obama.

Tom Hulce As Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Amadeus)

Just based on artist renderings of the seminal composer, Tom Hulce was nowhere near a match to play the title role of director Milos Forman's Best Picture Oscar winner, Amadeus, from 1984. However, the actor is widely admired for his performance as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, which earned him a well-deserved Academy Award nomination.

Robert Redford As Harry Longabaugh (Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid)

I wonder how many others like me had no idea that Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was based on a true story, which might be how the film was able to get away with casting actors who look nothing like the Western outlaws they play. For instance, Robert Redford's mustache works just fine for the role, but Harry Longabaugh, a.k.a. "The Sundance Kid," did not have long blonde locks.

Diana Ross As Billie Holiday (Lady Sings The Blues)

Most would agree that 1972's Lady Sings the Blues is the superior biopic about the trailblazing "Strange Fruit" singer over The United States vs. Billie Holiday from 2021. However, those same people might also agree that Andra Day was a better fit to play Holiday, physically speaking, than the otherwise wonderfully talented Diana Ross in the earlier film.

Robin Williams As Patch Adams (Patch Adams)

The real Patch Adams hates Tom Shadyac's biopic based on his life, which has nothing to do with the fact that Robin Williams looks nothing like the influential doctor. However, it's still impossible to ignore, especially with how they do not even bother to give the Oscar winner Adams' signature mustache.

Mel Gibson As William Wallace (Braveheart)

In the most well-known illustrations of William Wallace, the Scottish warrior is depicted as having short hair and a beard. Why director Mel Gibson opted against this look when he portrayed Wallace in Braveheart is beyond me.

Serena Scott Thomas As Princess Diana (Diana: Her True Story)

Many actors have portrayed Princess Diana to varying degrees of success, but most consider Serena Scott Thomas from the 1993 two-part miniseries, Diana: Her True Story, to be one of the weakest matches, purely in terms of her physical resemblance.

Zoe Saldaña As Nina Simone (Nina)

The 2016 biopic, Nina, sparked controversy when Zoe Saldaña donned skin-darkening makeup and a prosthetic nose to better resemble singer Nina Simone, which the actor would later admit she regretted.

Zoe Saldaña is living out my summer dreams. On the heels of her well-reviewed Pixar film Elio hitting theaters, the actress took to Instagram to show off her “mood for the summer.” I’m not kidding, she’s totally summer goals here, as she rocked a cute bikini, denim shorts and a sun hat while zooming away on a golf cart.

To make matters even better, the Guardians of the Galaxy star posted this amazing summer clip on the Fourth of July. Using the track “KI-KI” by YEИDRY to score the clip, the actress can be seen walking barefoot on the street to her golf cart, take a look:

OK, let’s break this down. First of all, I love her fit. The white string bikini is perfect for the holiday, and I love the light blue denim shorts she paired with it. I’m also very here for her literally rose-colored sunglasses and the big hat she puts on partway through the clip. Also, no shoes is such a vibe, and it reminds me of all the times I’ve run around in the summer without a care in the world.

Also, her zooming off in a golf cart while surrounded by palm trees is such a vibe. And I can safely say that I wish I were able to do that, too.

All this is to say, I think this video can be added to my aspirational summer mood board that also includes those iconic beach photos of Kim and Khloé Kardashian.

Now, this post is also a fun way to prompt reflection about the year Zoe Saldaña is having. It's a big one for her.

She won a 2025 Oscar for Best Supporting Actress toward the start of the year for her performance in Emilia Pérez.

Then, just a few weeks ago, Elio was released on the 2025 movie schedule. It sadly hasn’t performed well at the box office. However, the animated space adventure has been getting good reviews, and I can confirm, it’s a lovely sci-fi story that’s well worth the watch.

That alone is a lot, but Zoe Saldaña is not done yet, so this video showed off a nice period of rest and relaxation before she gets back to work.

That’s because later this year, she’ll release Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third installment in James Cameron’s series. At the moment, we don’t know much about this next adventure, but Saldaña has teased the “pain” Neytiri will be dealing with, so I have a feeling we’re in for an emotional ride. That movie comes out on December 19, and based on the success of the first two films, I expect quite a bit of fanfare in the lead-up to its release.

So, I’m happy the Lioness actress is setting her summer mood, and taking a moment to bask in the sun before it’s time to get back to work. She deserves it, and we should all aspire to have this kind of carefree and fun in the sun.

Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to make its highly anticipated debut on the 2025 movie schedule later this year and, based on what’s been shared about it thus far, it’s going to be a true epic. The third installment in James Cameron’s science-fiction saga is set to continue the story of the Sulley family and, unsurprisingly, they’ll encounter new challenges in this latest film. Zoe Saldaña’s Neytiri won’t be immune to any kind of problems either, as the actress shared some worrying thoughts about how “pain” is going to impact her character.

2022’s The Way of Water (which is streamable with a Disney+ subscription) sees Neytiri going through considerable changes. Early on, she and her brood must leave her native Omatikaya for the Metkayina to evade the revived Miles Quaritch and the RDA. The family experiences its share of challenges throughout the film, and that all culminates in the death of Neytiri and Jake’s first-born son, Neteyam. Zoe Saldaña reveals that her character’s grief definitely factors into Fire and Ash’s story:

Considering how traumatic the loss of a child is, it’s completely understandable that the Na’vi warrior would still be mourning her son. However, what worries me is how that might fuel her actions in this upcoming sci-fi movie. Neytiri can be headstrong under the best of circumstances, so I can’t even predict how grief might fuel her actions. While speaking with Empire Magazine, the Oscar-winning actress also suggested that her character is going to deal with both external and internal struggles:

I get the feeling Neytiri is going to have to make some crucial decisions, which will likely impact not only her but those around her as well. All of the Sulleys are apparently going to have to lean on each other in a big way in this threequel. The film is set to introduce a clan of evil Na’vi known as the Mangkwan (or the Ash people). To that point, Zoe Saldaña also mentioned during her interview that Neytiri will “meet her match” in the clan’s leader, Varang, who’s played by Oona Chaplin.

Considering Fire and Ash’s lengthy runtime, there’s a lot of narrative real estate for James Cameron and co. to play with. It’s natural for fans not to want to see their favorite characters experience pain but, if they’re going to evolve, that needs to be the case. So I’m definitely eager to see this third Avatar film, though I’m still hopeful that Neytiri doesn’t end up doing anything she’ll ultimately regret.

Avatar: Fire and Ash opens in theaters on December 19. Considering the spectacle associated with this franchise, I’d wager that you should see the film on the biggest screen possible.

Like millions of people around the world, I spent five hours watching Marvel slowly roll out all those Avengers: Doomsday names in March 2025, and like a lot of people, I was bummed a few of the biggest MCU stars, including Ryan Reynolds, didn’t have a chair. While it may be true that we will see more additions as we work toward the release of the upcoming Marvel movie, I was shocked by some of the names left out of the excruciatingly long cast announcement.

That said, here’s a list of some of those beloved MCU actors I really hope we see when the Russo Brothers’ Avengers: Doomsday opens on the big screen in May 2026. It’s a long list (no, not as long as that video), so let’s get started…

Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Reynolds, who has played Deadpool since the Fox days, has made a habit of teasing his return to the MCU ever since the release of Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024. I totally thought we’d see his name on one of those chairs in that seemingly endless lineup, which is why I’m so bummed the wise-cracking, R-rated, and lethal hero wasn’t included.

In an ideal world, Reynolds’ return would also include the likes of Dafne Keen, Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Garner, and Leslie Uggams (you can’t have Deadpool without Blind Al).

Tom Holland

With the Spider-Man 4 release date so close to the Avengers: Doomsday rollout, it would be shocking if Tom Holland doesn’t show up in the massive crossover film a few months before his new Web-Slinger adventure. The highly in-demand actor seemed like a shoo-in to be included in the gargantuan list filled with all his MCU buddies. There are rumors that Holland won’t be in the next Avengers film, but I’m not totally convinced at this point.

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson has been a part of the MCU since he showed up in Tony Stark’s house and revealed himself as Nick Fury way back in Iron Man. Since then, he’s popped up in all of the Avengers movies, so I was a little saddened and surprised by his omission from the absurdly long cast list for Doomsday. I mean, Fury is still alive on the Marvel Cinematic timeline after the events of The Marvels.

Chris Evans

Even though his version of Captain America retired during the Avengers: Endgame ending, Chris Evans has reappeared in the MCU (Johnny Flame in Deadpool & Wolverine), so I wouldn’t be shocked if some character played by the franchise mainstay shows up by the time it’s all said and done. Evans has been cagey about a possible return in the past, but not seeing his name on the back of a chair is a little disheartening, if I’m being honest.

Mark Ruffalo

Mark Ruffalo has been one of my favorite MCU actors ever since he took on the role of Bruce Banner/The Hulk in 2012’s The Avengers. He’s been there for all the major moments in the franchise since then, but now I’m starting to think his iconic character won’t be saving the planet, galaxy, universe, or multiverse with his old buddies next summer. This can’t happen. I mean, who’s going to give Paul Rudd’s Ant-Man an extra taco?

Benedict Cumberbatch

Is Benedict Cumberbatch bringing back Doctor Strange (third eye and all) for Avengers: Doomsday? I don’t know because the longtime Marvel staple wasn’t included in the longest line of chairs I’ve ever seen. The actor’s comments about his return to the MCU have been all over the place, with his most recent comments to Business Insider in January 2025 making it sound like he could possibly return.

Don Cheadle

Though the Armor Wars project seems to be up in the air, I thought Don Cheadle would for sure be a part of the upcoming Avengers movie. James Rhodes has been a part of the franchise since the very beginning, and Cheadle’s version of the character has had a part in three of the four crossover films to date.

Brie Larson

Another big name missing from the “Infinity Scroll of Chairs” was Brie Larson, whose Captain Marvel has long been one of the strongest heroes in the entire MCU. We last saw her in The Marvels back in 2023, so she’s due for a return at this point. The same can be said about co-stars Teyonah Parris and Iman Vellani, who play Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan, respectively. I’d be shocked if they didn’t appear.

Jeremy Renner

Jeremy Renner’s Hawkeye has had one of the craziest journeys in the MCU over the years. The underrated Avenger has been through it all, and I’ll be bummed if he’s not part of Doomsday next year. He famously wasn’t part of the Avengers: Infinity War cast, so maybe, just maybe, we’ll see him in Avengers: Secret Wars in a few years.

Charlie Cox

With Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdoch very much a part of the MCU again with the recent arrival of Daredevil: Born Again, I will be shocked if the actor doesn’t appear in Avengers: Doomsday. His name is on the rise (both the actor and character), so his absence could be felt a great deal.

Also, I would love to see Cox’s Defenders co-stars like Mike Colter, Finn Jones, and Krysten Ritter have some kind of role in what appears to be the biggest Marvel movie in years.

Halle Berry

Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and several other major players from the original X-Men movies were all announced for Avengers: Doomsday, but there was one actress whose absence really bummed me out: Halle Berry. Whenever the music would change and the camera would pan to the right, I kept hoping to see the Storm actress listed on a chair, but it never came.

The same can be said about Famke Janssen, Anna Paquin, and Hugh Jackman, three other major names from the franchise who are oddly missing from the cast list.

The Guardians Of The Galaxy

Though Dave Bautista and Pom Klementieff seem to be finished with the MCU after the events of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, the rest of the actors should still be in play moving forward. With Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Karen Gillan, and Vin Diesel being major parts of the last two Avengers movies, it will be odd not to see them in the upcoming Doomsday. I really hope that changes, as I’d love to see that ragtag group of space scoundrels save the day again.

The Eternals

After Captain America: Brave New World referenced Eternals earlier in the year, it felt like maybe this oft-forgotten MCU movie would be getting some attention again. However, none of the actors from the 2021 epic were included in the Avengers: Doomsday rollout. I guess we’ll have to wait longer to figure out what’s going on with the group played by Angelina Jolie, Richard Madden, Gemma Chan, and Barry Keoghan.

Other Marvel Stars I Want To See In Avengers: Doomsday

On top of all these names and various groups, I would love to see even more actors from the Marvel Cinematic Universe show up in Avengers: Doomsday. From longtime staples like Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Hayley Atwell, and Scarlett Johansson (nobody stays dead forever, right?) to other fan favorites played by the likes of Benedict Wong, Dafne Keen, Lupita Nyong’o, Awkwafina, and Danai Guirara to actors introduced in post-credit scenes like Brett Goldstein and Charlize Theron, there are just so many familiar faces that could show up.

Will any or all of these actors show up in Avengers: Doomsday or its sequel? I really hope so.

The 97th Academy Awards truly was a memorable night for those watching at home and the stars who experienced it. We saw a fun Oscars opening from host Conan O’Brien with a surprise cameo from Adam Sandler, as well as hard-working nominees achieving success with their wins. While a murderer’s row of celebrities met up at the Oscars, a beautiful moment between winners Zoë Saldaña and Mikey Madison is giving me all of these feels.

The Oscars presents the perfect time for celebrities to come together to take photos and share reunions all in one venue. We saw Andrew Garfield and Jesse Eisenberg have a Social Network reunion at the Oscars after over a decade. There were practically photo ops from celebs showing off their eye-opening fashions, like Olivia Wilde looking like sheer perfection on the red carpet and Zoë Kravitz’s full cheeky dress at the Vanity Fair After Party. But one after-party moment that’s truly having me in my feels is seeing 2025 Oscar winners Zoë Saldaña and Mikey Madison’s photo down below:

Look at the two Oscar winners, nestling their heads together with a proud look on each other’s faces. The pair look so delighted to be posing in the same press room together to commemorate their historic wins. Oscar winners Adrien Brody and Kieran Culkin also looked very happy to share the space with these talented ladies. With everyone triumphantly holding their golden statuettes, this appears to be a night worth remembering.

Zoë Saldaña and Mikey Madison winning Oscars this year was a historic moment for the two, as it was a first-time nomination and win for both of them. Saldaña has been an actress for 25 years, with her first IMDB credit being a guest appearance on Law & Order in 1999. She eventually became one of the highest-grossing actors of all time, starring in blockbuster franchises like Guardians of the Galaxy and the Avatar films. While her dedicated motion capture work in Avatar has been snubbed from Oscar acting categories, the Crossroads actress finally got her recognition, making award season history for her role in Emilia Perez and an Oscar to show for it.

As for Mikey Madison, you knew her first as horror characters like in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood and Scream (where fans still give her criticism for killing off Dewey). Then came Sean Baker’s independent dramedy Anora, where she slayed as a sex worker who finds her chance towards a Cinderella dream. Given all of the research she put into her time in strip clubs and the emotional depth she brought out into Anora’s journey, Madison was more than worthy of her Best Actress win.

Through the murderer's row of celebs, seeing Zoë Saldaña and Mikey Madison posing together at the Oscars afterparty is truly giving me heartwarming feels. I love seeing women support each other in their accomplishments and celebrate their successes together. You can see Saldaña’s Oscar-winning performance in Emilia Perez now with your Netflix subscription. Madison’s performance in Anora can also be seen with your Hulu subscription starting March 17th.

Filmmaker James Cameron is a legend in the industry, known for his big-scale projects and penchant for innovation. He's also the man behind one of the best sci-fi movies of all time: Avatar. The franchise (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription) is part of a five-film plan, which will tell one cohesive story about the Na'vi of Pandora. Zoe Saldańa recently shared a fact about the fifth movie that is really making me feel old (as well as blowing my mind)

What we know about Avatar: Fire and Ash is limited, but fans are hyped for the third installment to arrive this December. There will be two more movies to follow, meaning that the franchise is going to be in theaters for years to come. While speaking with Collider, Saldańa took stock of how long she'll have been playing Neytiri when all is said and done, offering:

My mind is blown, and I'm suddenly feeling the need to tell some kids to get off my lawn. The audience and the cast of Avatar have grown up together, and we're both going to be pretty long in the tooth by the time the story is completed. No wonder there are such strong emotional ties to Pandora.

The first Avatar movie hit theaters back in 2009, and fans waited over a decade for the first sequel The Way of Water to finally follow suit. While James Cameron and company have picked up the pace, that gap is a big reason why the franchise as a whole will end up taking up so many years of Saldańa's life. Although she doesn't seem to be unhappy with how things have turned out.

The Avatar franchise is just one reason why Zoe Saldańa (who was recently nominated for an Oscar) has become one of the highest grossing actresses of all time. Add in her roles as Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy and The Avengers, as well as years playing Uhura in Star Trek, and she's the queen of big budget blockbusters. We'll just have to wait and see what happens to her character Neytiri in the next three Avatar flicks. Luckily we won't have to wait long for a new movie, as Fire and Ice will arrive December 19th as part of the 2025 movie release dates.

I love an ambitious, shocking and wild fashion moment. When I think of those, Rihanna’s countless wild costumes, Sydney Sweeney wearing only a casted bouquet of flowers, and Zendaya’s robot armor moment come to mind. Well, now Kelly Rowland’s daring balloon birthday fit can be added to this list because both myself and a bunch of her famous friends think this look is fire.

To celebrate her 44th birthday on February 11 (which happens to be this writer’s birthday too), this Aquarius queen decided to throw on a fun fit. Taking to Instagram, the Destiny’s Child member posed in a chrome teal tube top and bikini bottoms while wearing matching balloons on her head and holding two in her hands that had fours on them. Truly, this look is something you need to see to believe:

According to Rowland’s Instagram story, the fit was inspired by a photoshoot Naomi Campbell did in 2018.

The whole entire outfit is stunning, and it highlights Rowland’s confidence and beauty both on the inside and out to perfection. Plus, the balloons are fitting because she did this for her birthday.

Friends and fans were quick to show their love for the outfit in the comments too. This included Zoë Saldaña – who is no stranger to a bold fashion moment, remember that chainmail fit from last year? – Octavia Spencer and more:

• 🔥🔥🔥🔥 Happy happy birthday Queen!!!! -Zoë Saldaña
• 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🎈-Octavia Spencer
• 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 -Shani Darden

Celebrities weren’t the only ones posting about how fire the look was. Fans were too, take a look:

• Oh ma’am!!!! U showing tf out 🔥 -themicahdixon
• 🔥🔥🔥🔥😍😍😍😍 -amberhgregg_
• Yes queen!!! Happy birthday beautiful 😍❤️🔥 -messtix

The outfit truly is so daring, beautiful and unique, and Rowland pulls it off flawlessly. And while it is 100% fire, and I’m thrilled many pointed that out, others took to the comments to wish the singer a happy birthday and note just how gorgeous she is, including her fellow experimental and wild fashion icon Kim Kardashian:

• Happy Birthday Kells!!!!!!! Love you!!!!! 🖤🖤🖤 -Kim Kardashian
• Happy Birthday Kelly!!!! - you are gorgeous inside and out! Wishing you the best year yet! ✨💫❤️ -Jessica Alba
• Wooooow!!!!! Happy Birthday Beautiful Kelly!!❤️❤️❤️❤️ Talk about taking the cake!😍🥳🔥 -Keisha Epps

This balloon outfit really feels like the best way to celebrate another trip around the sun. As someone who literally celebrated their birthday on February 11 as well, I’m in awe of Rowland’s adventurous sense of style and confidence, and her vibe is the energy I need to try and manifest this year!

Here’s hoping Kelly Rowland’s 44th year is as stunning, marvelous and bold as this photoshoot. Last year she stayed busy with projects like Gown-ish and Mea Culpa (which you can stream with a Netflix subscription). This year, her slate hasn’t been revealed just yet in terms of music, movies and TV. However, I’m positive whatever she does will be as daring, fun and fire as this photoshoot that helped her bring in 44.

Zoe Saldaña has added a number of honors to her impressive list of accolades this awards season. She most recently took home the Best Supporting Actress honor at the London Film Critics Circle Awards for her performance in Netflix’s Emilia Pérez. Also, during her acceptance speech, she made comments that many believe subtly referenced the controversy surrounding her co-star and fellow 2025 Oscar nominee, Karla Sofía Gascón. Said situation is related to some resurfaced tweets from Gascón.

Karla Sofía Gascón, a transgender actress who played the titular role in Emilia Pérez, has been at the center of awards season discourse after winning Best Actress at Cannes—leading to debates over category placement, representation, and the industry’s handling of trans performers. Zoe Saldaña did not mention specific names during her address, but her comments appeared to reference the ongoing controversy related to the film, which is available for streaming with a Netflix subscription. During her acceptance speech (via Gold Derby), she stated:

While brief, the Guardian of the Galaxy star’s emotional reaction seemingly suggests she’s aware one of the larger conversations swirling around Emilia Pérez. While she didn’t directly name Gascón, the actress later spoke about the struggles of following one’s convictions in the face of opposition. This message felt particularly relevant, given the cloud hanging over the film's awards campaign. She continued:

Zoe Saldaña continued to express gratitude for her fellow cast members, including Selena Gomez and Adriana Paz, emphasizing how their collective efforts made the film possible:

Emilia Pérez is the most nominated film at this year's Oscars. Zoe Saldaña is a frontrunner in the Best Supporting Actress category and became a 2025 Golden Globe winner, thanks to her performance, which sparked considerable disdain amongst viewers. Whether the posts from Saldaña's co-star will affect her own chances at various upcoming award shows, including the Academy Awards, is uncertain.

The Star Trek alum’s speech follows comments she made a few days earlier at a London event promoting the Jacques Audiard-helmed film. When asked about the controversy surrounding Gascón’s resurfaced remarks, Saldaña reacted, acknowledging that she was still "processing" the situation but clarifying that she does not support any form of discriminatory rhetoric.

While Emilia Pérez has been a critical darling and remains a Best Picture contender, there is mounting speculation that the backlash surrounding Karla Sofía Gascón could impact the film’s Oscar chances. As of this writing, Zoe Saldaña remains the only cast member to address the situation publicly. Whether her words can help steady the film’s standing in awards season remains to be seen, but one thing is clear—she’s standing by the film’s message.

Following controversial tweets written by Karla Sofía Gascón resurfacing yesterday, her Emilia Pérez co-star and fellow 2025 Oscar nominee, Zoe Saldaña reacted to it. The actress made it very clear that this whole situation makes her “really sad” and she has no “tolerance for any negative rhetoric towards people of any group.”

Yesterday, Karla Sofía Gascón’s tweets about topics like the murder of George Floyd and Muslims went viral, with many calling her racist and Islamaphobic for her thoughts. During a Q&A in London (via Variety), the Avatar actress addressed her co-star’s controversial takes and the backlash that came with them, saying:

Saldaña then spoke about making the film, saying that during production on Emilia Pérez, her interactions with the cast and crew were about “inclusivity and collaboration.” Speaking about that experience and the current discourse surrounding her film that’s available to stream with a Netflix subscription, the Lioness star said:

Along with these tweets, Gascón has also faced backlash for claims she made about her fellow nominee Fernanda Torres and her team “tearing me and Emilia Pérez down.” She later apologized for those comments. On top of that, the film in general has faced a fair amount of criticism for myriad reasons.

Closing out her response, the Guardians of the Galaxy star flipped the conversation to thank fans who have continued to support Emilia Pérez amid the various controversies and criticisms it has faced. She said:

Emilia Pérez is the most nominated movie at this year’s Oscars, Saldaña is a frontrunner in the Supporting Actress category, and she won a 2025 Golden Globe for her performance. It’s unclear how the current discourse surrounding her co-star will impact the film’s chances at various upcoming award shows, including The Academy Awards.

Notably, amid this specific issue, Gascón released a statement to Variety apologizing for her words. She said she was “deeply sorry to those I have caused pain.” She also deactivated her X account after these posts went viral and people called her out for them.

As we get closer to the Oscars, we’ll continue monitoring this situation, and we’ll be sure to keep you posted if other cast and crew members from Emilia Pérez or Netflix say anything about Karla Sofía Gascón’s actions.

Zoe Saldaña has had a stunning run so far with her work in Emilia Pérez. Both the 46-year-old and the movie musical itself have had plenty of buzz with nominations and wins, with more expected to come at the upcoming awards shows. It seems like the actress is just starting, too, with an incredibly fashionable cover and dishing on her first Globe history-making win for the Jacques Audiard-written and directed project.

The Harper’s Bazaar cover encompasses the Colombiana’s actress' star power. She’s lounging in a sheer YSL skin-tight garment adorned with a shaggy red wrist and neck cuffing and a blue trimmed bottom, it’s a stunning cover and prepping us for her features on our 2025 movie schedule. She talked with the publication about her prolific sci-fi and fantasy acting career, including the upcoming Avatar 3 while relishing all the Pérez praise. Check the cover out for yourself on Bazaar’s Instagram and take in the wave-making A-lister shine:

It’s no secret that Saldaña has been waiting in the wings to prove she’s a contender but the January 22nd publication proves she’s more ready than ever. The casual pose paired with the striking outfit screams that the Guardians of the Galaxy actress is ready to double down and showcase what she’s . And while the wild movie musical has had many conflicting reactions, including from the LGBTQ+ and Latino communities, the experimental story structure and performances are striking chords.

In Harper's Bazaar piece, the Pérez writer and director, Jacques Audiard doted on the Star Trek actress. He said this of his actress’s constant professional mentality and her general energy:

Audiard isn’t the first to recognize Saldaña’s all-around star power. The Avatar director, James Cameron has been no stranger in singing of her good graces, including taking the time to congratulate his Fire and Ash actress on her first win. To have two noteworthy directors complimenting you publicly has to feel pretty great for the From Scratch alum, and I have a feeling it won’t be the last. In addition to the Cameron threequel, she’s attached to the new Pixar movie Elio set to release in the summer.

It seems like it’s just the beginning of the Zoe Saldaña reign with all of the Emilia Pérez awards season buzz. Her glitzy cover can only help fuel the wave as we await her upcoming releases.

You can watch Emilia Pérez with a Netflix subscription.

The 97th Annual Academy Awards are coming up quickly on the 2025 TV schedule, and this year could be one to talk about regarding transgender representation. Regarding the Oscars, it’s been almost a decade since big talk about representation at the awards show went viral with #OscarsSoWhite. While Hollywood’s biggest night has given out more golden trophies to a more diverse group of people in recent years, 2025 could particularly be a massive step in the direction of more trans people being recognized – but, it will likely overlook one particularly good film from the community.

Between the buzz that Emilia Pérez and Will & Harper are getting this Oscar season, this could be a landmark year for transgender representation in movies being talked about during award season, but it's a shame I Saw The TV Glow is being left out. Let’s talk about it.

The History Of Trans Representation At The Oscars So Far

Over the nearly one hundred years that the Oscars have been around, stories about transgender people have been highlighted at the award show, but oftentimes with actors who are not part of the community actually earning recognition for playing trans people.

Movies like 1975’s Dog Day Afternoon, 1982’s The World According To Garp, 1992’s The Crying Game, 2005’s Transamerica, 2011’s Albert Nobbs, 2013’s Dallas Buyers Club and 2015’s The Danish Girl have all involved the topic of transgender people and have even earned some Oscars. While it's been important for these stories to be told, rarely if at all have the people within the community been given the opportunity to tell their own stories, and that needs to change.

There have been a few instances of people within the transgender community earning Oscar nominations. Such as in 1974, when Angela Morley became the first openly transgender Academy Award nominee for working on the music for The Little Prince, and she was also nominated in 1977 for The Slipper and the Rose—The Story of Cinderella.

In 2017, Yance Ford became the first openly transgender man to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Documentary feature with Strong Island. Additionally, Anohni was the first transgender person to be nominated for Best Original Song for the 2015 documentary, Racing Extinction. It’s also worth noting that Elliot Page has an Oscar nomination for 2008’s Juno, but it was prior to their transition in 2020.

Karla Sofía Gascon Is Poised To Be The First Trans Woman To Be Nominated In Acting

There have been controversies around cisgender actors playing and winning Oscars for playing trans people – such as with Eddie Redmayne recently sharing regrets for starring in The Danish Girl to portray Lili Elbe. But this year, it’s likely that for the first time, an out trans actor will be nominated for an Academy Award. Karla Sofía Gascon is predicted to be in the Best Actress category at this year’s Oscars for Emilia Pérez, for playing a drug cartel kingpin who decides to fake their death and have a gender-affirming surgery in order to live their life in their truest way, as a woman.

According to Gold Derby’s odds list for the category, she is No. 3 under Mikey Madison’s Anora performance and Demi Moore’s The Substance performance, giving her tremendous odds for at least taking one of the five slots as a nominee. It is a very stacked category this year, between Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo, I’m Still Here’s Fernanda Torres, Hard Truth’s Marianne Jean-Baptiste, The Last Showgirl’s Pamela Anderson, Lee’s Kate Winslet, Babygirl’s Nicole Kidman and Maria’s Angelina Jolie also among top contenders, but a nomination would be a huge step, considering its one of the most high-profile awards of the night.

While we could see a historical milestone for an underrepresented sect of the LGBTQ+ community at this year’s Oscars, Gascon’s character and the movie have, however, been ridden with controversy due to the response for how it depicts its trans character. GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) for example, declared it was not good trans representation, citing numerous reviews against the film including Autostraddle’s words that it has “every trans trope you can imagine.”

And, Will & Harper Is In The Running For Best Documentary

Another trans-focused movie that could earn an Academy Award nomination at the 97th Oscars is Will & Harper. The movie follows Will Ferrell as he goes on a road trip with his longtime friend and collaborator, who recently transitioned into a woman named Harper Steele. As they travel together across the U.S., Ferrell gets to ask Harper honest questions about how the transition affects their friendship and her life going forward, and it has a slice-of-life approach to sharing the joys and struggles facing trans people.

The documentary, which is also one of CinemaBlend’s top movies of 2024, doesn’t have as high of a chance of being nominated as Emilia Pérez, considering Gold Derby has it at No. 6 below No Other Land, Sugarcane, Daughters, Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat and Dahomey, but it does offer a unique chance for a trans story to earn a nomination, and potential win. It’s great to see it in the conversation.

The Academy Will Likely Overlook One Great 2024 Trans Film

While it could be a landmark year for trans representation at the Oscars, it’s unfortunate another film from the community isn’t getting its flowers during award season as we gear up for nominations to be released.

I Saw The TV Glow is a powerful drama (with a lot of horror elements to its name) that illustrates how it felt for writer/director Jane Schoenbrun to exist in the wrong body before their transition. The movie follows an isolated teen named Owen (masterfully played by Justice Smith), living in the ‘90s who connects with a fellow high schooler over a TV show called The Pink Opaque – inspired by Jane’s love of Buffy The Vampire Slayer growing up.

Through some hauntingly memorable filmmaking, Schoenbrun is able to communicate the dread trans people can feel pre-transition through a lyrical and visually stunning film. Martin Scorsese has even praised it for being one of his favorites of 2024. On Gold Derby, the movie is down at No. 33 for Best Picture odds, Schoenbrun is at No. 41 and Justice Smith is a No. 17, making it very unlikely the title will be part of the Academy's picks.

Despite there being some disappointment from the LGBTQ+ community about what will get the spotlight at this year’s Academy Awards, all in all, we’ll look back at 2024 as an important year for trans stories in movies. These films being made and talked about is a solid step forward, and it's more important that these movies exist and are providing more visibility for the community, both to represent their stories and get conversation going in mainstream media.

Emilia Pérez and Will & Harper are on Netflix now, while I Saw The TV Glow is currently streaming for those with a Max subscription.

Academy Award nominations drop January 23 and the show will be on March 10.

After this weekend’s 2025 Golden Globe winners were revealed and as we wait for more award shows honoring 2024's best to air on the 2025 TV schedule, there's been a lot of chatter about Zoe Saldaña's historic win. During the ceremony, she made history by becoming the first Dominican Golden Globe winner for her role in Emilia Pérez. Now, fans of the actress can't stop talking about how perhaps she should have won her first award years ago.

Saldaña won over Ariana Grande’s performance in Wicked, Margaret Qualley in The Substance, Isabella Rossellini’s performance in Conclave, Felicity Jones in The Brutalist and her co-star Selena Gomez. One fan of the actress had this to say on X (formerly Twitter) after the award show moment:

Following Saldaña’s big win and amazing speech, it’s more likely she’ll inch out the competition and win her first Oscar in a couple of months. (In fact, the Oscar nomination site Gold Derby currently has her at the top of the list to win over Ariana Grande).

As one tweet spoke to, Zoe Saldaña has been a very influential actress in Hollywood for over two decades, and it almost feels ridiculous that Emilia Pérez marks her first time on a major award show stage. As another fan wrote:

A particularly popular character of Saldaña’s that people have been calling out is her role as Neytiri in the Avatar movies. Recently, the actress spoke about being snubbed for the original flick, sharing that “not being nominated is ok” but she’s felt “overlooked and then minimized and completely disregarded” for her performance in the box office hit. She has also gotten real about how award shows regularly do not recognize motion capture work as well.

If the Academy and other major voting bodies were hip to it, the actress might have competed alongside Sandra Bullock, Helen Mirren, Carey Mulligan, Gabourey Sidibe and Meryl Streep, at the Oscars in 2010. However, there wasn't much room for genre films like Avatar. While James Cameron's film tied for the most nominations of the night with The Hurt Locker that year, none of the actors were offered recognition.

To that point, this fan wrote the following on X:

Along with her unforgettable role in Avatar, the Dominican-American actress is the only person to have been in the three highest-grossing movies of all time -- Avatar, Avengers: Endgame and Avatar: The Way of Water. Plus, she has had some amazing performances in movies like Star Trek, Infinitely Polar Bear and Drumline.

Saldaña is a one-of-a-kind talent and trailblazer, so no wonder people, like the fan below, are surprised it’s taken so long.

In Emilia Pérez, Saldaña plays a lawyer living in Mexico who helps a drug cartel kingpin (Karla Sofía Gascón) get gender-affirming surgery. You can check out the Spanish-language musical with a Netflix subscription and look forward to her next stint as Neytiri when the Avatar: Fire And Ash's release date arrives later this year.

In the meantime, we'll be keeping an eye on Zoe Saldaña as she continues this historic awards run.

Zoe Saldaña had plenty to celebrate after her win at the 2025 Golden Globe Awards, part of the 2025 TV schedule. She brought home the gold for her performance in Netflix’s wild musical Emilia Perez. While speaking to the press following her big win, the actress reflected on her 25-year career and expressed gratitude to the filmmakers who have supported her along the way. One of those filmmakers, none other than director James Cameron, took a moment to send the Colombiana actress a special message during the ceremony—despite being hard at work in New Zealand on the next installment of his epic franchise, the upcoming Avatar: Fire & Ash.

Speaking in the press room following the awards ceremony (via Variety), Saldaña shared how much Cameron’s words meant to her. The Guardians of the Galaxy alum shared:

This isn’t the first time Cameron has sung the Lioness star praises. In her Variety cover story last October, the director spoke glowingly of her performance in the Avatar films, arguing that her work as Neytiri deserves the same recognition as that of any Oscar-winning actor. The filmmaker said:

Saldaña has proven herself to be a force of nature, not only in her role as Neytiri but as one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. She has appeared in three of the highest-grossing films of all time—Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Avengers: Endgame. However, her recent win for Emilia Perez marks a new chapter in her career, as she receives critical acclaim she hasn’t previously experienced, which she’s admitted feels deflating. The Vivo voice performer continued to reflect during her press room remarks:

As Cameron continues to edit Avatar: Fire and Ash, set to land on the 2025 movie release schedule, Saldaña’s bond with the visionary filmmaker remains as strong as ever. His belief in her and her drive to push boundaries as an artist ensure we’ll see even more captivating performances from the Star Trek alum.

In the meantime, fans can revisit her performances in Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water, both streaming with a Disney+ subscription. And with Fire and Ash on the horizon, Saldaña is just beginning to explore Neytiri’s story—and cement her legacy as one of Hollywood’s most versatile talents.

As the 2024 movie schedule wraps up and awards season approaches, Zoe Saldaña is discussing her experiences starring in big franchises, one being Avatar. Despite the films’ box office success and revolutionary visual storytelling, Saldaña has pointed out how they've been overlooked when it comes to awards—particularly in major acting categories. However, shifting focus from her frustrations over mo-cap snubs, the Star Trek alum shared an exciting Avatar 3 tease, and it’s precisely the kind of insight I've been waiting for.

Why Zoe Saldaña Thinks The Avatar Movies Deserve More Credit

While the Avatar films have shattered box office records and introduced revolutionary motion capture techniques, the Guardians of the Galaxy star has voiced her disappointment with how acting performances in the franchise are overlooked, feeling “deflated” regarding awards recognition.

Zoe Saldaña explained in a recent interview with Variety that it comes down to folks not understanding what goes into motion capture work and that the performers “don’t show up in sweatpants.” She told the outlet:

Director James Cameron has also spoken about the extraordinary effort Saldaña puts into her roles, comparing her work in Avatar to that of other Oscar-winning performances. While the former MCU star remains optimistic that recognition for motion capture acting will come eventually, her frustration at being consistently minimized is evident.

An Exciting Avatar 3 Update Proves There’s Still Time For Award Recognition

With the upcoming Avatar: Fire & Ash on the horizon as part of the 2025 movie schedule, there’s still time for industry recognition to catch up. Saldaña recently shared a heartfelt tease with Deadline about the upcoming film’s storyline, focusing on where the Sully family goes next after the emotional events of The Way of Water’s ending. She said:

I'm more than curious to see how the Sulleys move on following the death of young Neteyam, who was killed by one of Miles Quaritch's men. Surely, this will serve as an emotional subplot within the film. The Crossroads alum also highlighted the evolving relationship between Jake and her character, Neytiri, noting that their love story remains at the saga's core. The Lioness performer continued:

As the next chapter unfolds, Avatar 3 promises to deliver the stunning visuals audiences have come to expect and deeper emotional stakes. Whether awards institutions finally recognize the artistry of motion capture performances remains to be seen, but fans of the franchise are likely already anticipating another unforgettable journey to Pandora.

You can revisit Zoe Saldaña’s extraordinary work in the Avatar films with a Disney+ subscription, and her Golden Globe-nominated performance in Emilia Pérez is streamable now with a Netflix subscription.

It’s been nearly a decade since the release of Star Trek Beyond, i.e. the last cinematic outing of Zoe Saldaña’s Nyota Uhura and the rest of the USS Enterprise crew from the Kelvin timeline. Since then, the sci-fi franchise has experienced a resurgence on TV thanks to the various shows that are available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription (plus Prodigy moving to Netflix), and Celia Rose Gooding is playing a younger version of the main timeline’s Uhurua in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. However, attempts to get Star Trek 4 off the ground keep being met with complications, and Saldaña shared her honest thoughts about the project’s long development.

As the actress, who also has major franchise cred from playing Gamora in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Neytiri in the Avatar movies, said while being interviewed by Deadline, she believes Star Trek 4 needs to get underway pretty soon before she and the other actors get too old to reprise their roles. As she specifically put it:

Star Trek 4 was officially announced ahead of Beyond’s release, with the original plan being for Christ Pine’s James T. Kirk to meet his father, George, reprised by Chris Hemsworth. The project has since morphed into various other iterations, with directors like S.J. Clarkson, Noah Hawley and Matt Shakman all coming and going from it. And yet, as we’re about to enter 2025, it doesn’t appear Star Trek 4 is any closer to finally happening, and Zoe Saldaña feels like there’s a time limit on when the Kelvin gang can get back together. Her answer amusingly contrasts with Spock actor Zachary Quinto’s, as he believes there’s “no cutoff” for Star Trek 4 given that the cast of Star Trek: The Original Series did movies “well into their 50s, 60s.”

Speaking of Spock, Saldaña also mentioned that she’s especially hopeful Star Trek 4 will be made because she wants to continue exploring the relationship between Uhura and her Vulcan crewmate. Those two were romantically involved in the first two Star Trek reboot movies, but had broken up prior to Beyond. In her words:

To be clear, Star Trek fans won’t be lacking in cinematic entertainment in the near future. The Paramount+-exclusive movie Section 31 will premiere at the end of January, and there’s also a Star Trek “origins” movie that’s supposed to be released sometime on the 2025 movies schedule. But there’s nothing to indicate that Star Trek 4 has made any significant progress lately, though I certainly share in Zoe Saldaña desire for the project to happen sooner rather than later considering how long we’ve already been waiting.

As for what the rest of the Star Trek landscape looks like, along with the aforementioned Section 31 coming soon, Strange New Worlds Season 3 is next up on the upcoming Star Trek TV shows slate, Starfleet Academy is currently shooting, though it remains to be seen if it will also premiere on the 2025 TV schedule or be saved for 2026.

Zoe Saldaña and the Emilia Pérez crew made waves through our 2024 movie schedule, snagging plenty of nominations already. And while the Guardians of the Galaxy actress is celebrating these nods for the musical thriller, she brought an important conversation to the award show circuit and the continuous hotly debated snub conversation. She reveals that it’s discouraging that Avatar and other movies like it are continuing to be snubbed by acting categories.

Saldaña shared with Variety about her Netflix hit, her frustrations with Hollywood not recognizing motion capture–a big con for big sci-fi franchises, amongst other parts of her career. The 46-year-old shared her feelings on the institution’s classic ruling about not recognizing those roles and how being overlooked is the worst part of everything:

The Special Ops: Lioness actress has a great perspective on it but maybe an even better thought on the whole not recognizing motion capture roles. No performer in any one of those movies is just phoning it in–in fact, they are probably exerting more effort than in a typical role. And this is coming from someone who has never seen Avatar (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription). In fact, Saldaña has encouraged me to add heavily motion capture movies to my list because of the effort that she says goes into these franchises and films.

She’s not the only one to weigh in on the specific topic, her Avatar director, James Cameron had many similar sentiments about the category ruling. He also shared of Saldaña’s range and what a talent she is to work with.

I think that many should take note of the science fiction epic director’s words. As one of the best in the biz and more than plenty of experience, it seems like there’s a change coming. Especially since Avatar: Fire and Ash will premiere on our 2025 movie schedule, it seems like they are paving the way for these performers to get recognized. I think it’s smart, and hope that the institutions at the very least add new categories to recognize this media because it’s not going anywhere.

For now, we’ll have to wait and see what becomes of the conversation. In the meantime, there are plenty of upcoming award shows waiting for us on our 2025 TV schedule. I’m sure that Saldaña will relish this award season with the Emilia Pérez cast and crew and hope for the best with Avatar in the acting award categories.

The Oscars are on March 2nd at 7:00 PM and will be streaming live for the first time with a Hulu subscription or live on ABC. They are also streamable the following day with a Hulu account.

From the outside looking in, many of us equate landing a position in a big franchise movie is a huge win. Getting to see a big and loved franchise like Guardians of the Galaxy or Avatar on a resume might seem like a success because it means more work is coming, and with that is popularity and fame. But recently we’ve been seeing many stars share the cons of being in such big franchises. Actress Zoe Saldaña shares her thoughts and feelings as an alum for a handful of popular franchise movies.

Variety released the interview and reunion hybrid Zoe Saldaña had with Avatar colleague Kate Winslet. The two haven’t worked on a project together since Avatar: Way of Water, and while they are set to work on the next installment, this has been their first meetup since Way of Water. The two of them talked about their different roles outside of Avatar, with Saldaña going on to share her personal feelings about how she felt being in not just one big franchise, but three. Saldaña goes on to say:

• SALDAÑA: And these films, Avatar, Star Trek, Guardians of the Galaxy, they gave me so much. But as they became super successful and became machines and worldwide phenomenon’s, all that was happening while I was also getting married and starting my family. So there was very little time for me to …
• WINSLET: … be an artist.
• SALDAÑA: … start stretching my muscles again and challenge myself. You find yourself just full of frustration, and you don’t know where to put it. I had a conversation with my agents, and we wrote down a list of great directors — a very small list. They called me up and they said, 'Jacques Audiard is casting for his next movie, and it’s going to be in Spanish, and it’s an opera and it takes place in Mexico, and we really do believe there’s a part that is just perfect for you.'

Saldaña goes on to talk about her role in Emilia Pérez, and how accepting the role was accompanied by a lot of self-sabotage on her part because it required her to step out of her usual casting. As mentioned in her quote at the time those movies were all taking off, she herself was starting her own family, so having a big-name franchise under her belt gave some kind of stability.

With any career there’s a need to keep stability, and in an industry like entertainment where another role is based on many external factors, many stars talk about how scary it is to go outside of their comfort zone. Actors like Jason Momoa have stated before that they feel thankful that they had the space to explore because their careers took off later in life. And on the other side of the camera, some actors like Olivia Wilde moved on to direct as a way to continue and explore her range. And of course, the other known downside to being in big name franchises, is typecasting and being seen as a one note kind of actor. Something a few actors known for their roles in comedy, like Pete Davidson, struggle wanting to be seen as something else.

While we can’t all relate exactly 1 to 1 with the pressures of being on screen, Saldaña is definitely relatable in that she lightly touches on the reality that sometimes our success makes it hard to step out of our comfort zone and into something more unknown. Her new movie Emilia Pérez is available for streaming with a Netflix subscription. As for the team up between Saldaña and Winslet, as far as we know Avatar: Fire and Ash is set to release in 2025 so we’ll be heading back to Pandora soon.

With the 2024 movie schedule winding down, it means a new season is right around the corner, and that's awards season. This past week, the 2025 Golden Globe nominations were announced, and there are many exciting names included, like Zoe Saldaña, who got her first nod ever for Emilia Pérez. Now, it may seem surprising that the Star Trek alum has never been nominated before this for successful films like Avatar. However, recently she got real about award shows not recognizing motion capture performances and all the effort and artistry that goes into pulling them off.

Saldaña, along with other nominees, shared brief thoughts of their respective 2025 nods with Variety. The conversation opened with her excitement for Emilia Pérez. Then, when asked if CGI motion-capture performances -- like hers in Avatar -- should be considered for performance categories, The Guardians of the Galaxy actor had this to say:

It’s surprising that the ruling has stood for all of these years, especially with the rise in movies similar to Avatar. The amount of work actors have to put in behind the scenes of what we see on the screen is jarring, the physicality alone makes me sweat. Seriously, though, performing for motion capture is an art form in itself, and it should be recognized.

The Amsterdam alum then went on to explain just how much work goes into a mo-cap role. She shared:

Again, the complete dedication and planning that goes into these performances are a whole team effort, but they get elevated by the actor performing. It’s not just a casual gig that’s somewhat removed, it’s next-level work. That is evident in Avatar, but knowing all these details makes me even more appreciative of the time, effort and work that goes into pulling off characters like Neytiri.

It is mind-boggling to think about all of those mo-cap snubs over the years (like all of Andy Serkis' work in Lord of the Rings), because of this stipulation. However, hopefully, there will be an amendment or new addition that makes it so these performers can get nods. While I doubt that will happen in time for the upcoming threequel of Avatar (which will come out toward the end of the 2025 movie schedule), maybe mo-cap performances can be considered when the fourth one comes out, so brilliant work like Saldaña's can be recognized.

Now, if you’d like to watch Saldaña's nominated film, Emilia Pérez, you can do so with a Netflix subscription. And if you’re interested in watching the Avatar franchise you can catch it with a Disney+ subscription.

Zoe Saldaña is the queen of the movie franchise. From the Guardians of the Galaxy to Avatar to Star Trek, her roles have made her one of the highest-grossing box office actresses in history. Despite her success, Saldaña now says that she wishes she could go back and do some of his biggest roles over again because she thinks she could do better.

Saldaña has made a lot of sequels in her time and while the Gamora actress says she never “phoned it in” she does admit to Variety to being “cavalier” in her approach to the movies at some point. As such, she says now wishes she could go back and play a couple of those roles including her Guardians of the Galaxy character, over again. She explained…

It sounds like being part of these massive movies that cost hundreds of millions to produce, Saldaña simply lost some of her passion for the films, and now looking back she feels like she didn’t do enough in the roles. While the movies might be huge and her part might be smaller, she still feels it would be worth it to do it all again if she could.

Gamora became a key character not just in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies but also in the MCU’s Infinity Saga as a whole, So getting the character right the first time was key. I think most would probably agree with the actress that she did enough. I'm a huge Guardians of the Galaxy fan but I can't complain. But then again, who wouldn’t want to take another shot at a role like Gamora, one that will likely continue to be watched for decades to come, if you thought you could do it even just a little bit better?

Zoe Saldaña’s time as Gamora would appear to be over and it’s unclear if she’ll ever play Uhura in a Star Trek movie again. There have been multiple attempts to bring a Star Trek 4 to life but right now it seems the focus is on launching a new Star Trek franchise rather than continuing the previous one.. If it ever does happen, she can potentially approach the role in a fresh way and perhaps give it the “more” that she now wishes she had done previously.

With this fresh perspective on her own career, Saldaña will be able to be less “cavalier” with her other major franchise role, Neytiri in the Avatar movies. Avatar: Fire and Ash is set for release in 2025 and two more Avatar films are planned after that.

Zoe Saldaña has firmly established herself as one of the premier big-screen talents of her generation. The fan-favorite actress has headlined some of the most famous movie franchises of all time. Of course, one such franchise is Avatar, which sees Saldaña transform into the blue Nav’i princess Neytiri. Based on the success she’s had since starring in James Cameron’s 2009 sci-fi epic, it doesn’t seem like the series has been a hindrance to the star’s career. In fact, it turns out that her role in Cameron’s flick directly led to her landing the role in the Star Trek movies.

The original Avatar film was shot throughout most of 2007, with the live-action segments being filmed during October of that year. Of course, the future Guardians of the Galaxy star was on hand to fulfill her duties. She recently recalled the experience while appearing at a Screen Talks session amid the London Film Festival this past weekend. While discussing her time working on one of the best James Cameron movies, the Dominican actress recalled (via Deadline) that a very special guest visiting the set at one point:

Isn’t it funny how things work out? Why J. J. Abrams was on the set in the first place wasn’t made clear during Zoe Saldaña’s discussion. Nevertheless, I’m glad the Super 8 helmer managed to recognize sheer talent. And, of course, everything worked out, as Saldaña was officially cast in the Abrams’ film. And, as was the case with Avatar, those movies would positively impact the trajectory of her film career as well.

For 2009’s Star Trek, Zoe Saldaña played the role of Nyota Uhura, the character originated by Nichelle Nichols in Gene Gene Roddenberry’s original series. Ultimately, Saldaña played Uhura in all three of the Kelvin timeline-set films, including the sequels – Star Trek into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond, which were released in 2013 and 2016, respectively. The star has spoken positively about her experiences working on the movies and especially gushed about meeting Nichols, who passed away in 2022. A fourth film in the franchise has been long discussed and has seen its share of starts and stops. Saldaña is open to the film but feels it would be bittersweet to shoot it following the death of co-star Anton Yelchin.

What is known for sure is that the A-lister will reprise her role as Netyri in the upcoming Avatar: Fire and Ash, which is one of the biggest titles on the 2025 movie schedule. Plot details are scarce at the moment but, based on the details that have been released, Jake Sully, Neytri and their family could find themselves in yet another dangerous situation, due in part to the unpredictable Ash people.

As someone who enjoys sweet movie trivia, I really appreciate the behind-the-scenes connection between Zoe Saldaña’s work on the aforementioned sci-fi franchises. I also look forward to seeing her return to the world of Pandora and also hope she’ll be able to jump back on the Enterprise for another turn as Uhura at some point.

You can stream the first two Avatar movies with a Disney+ subscription now ahead of Fire and Ash’s release on December 19, 2025. Zoe Saldaña’s work in those three Star Trek movies can also be accessed using a Paramount+ subscription.

Zoe Saldaña has built a career as one of Hollywood's most sought-after actresses, starring in some of the biggest and best film franchises like Avatar, Guardians of the Galaxy and Star Trek. Yet not every blockbuster experience has been positive for the star. Years after working on one of the best movies of the 2000s, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Saldaña has opened up about some BTS aspects of Pirates, like how difficult the production was for her. She recently revealed that, while the experience was challenging, Steven Spielberg later helped reignite her passion for big-budget films.

During a Screen Talk at the BFI London Film Festival, Zoe Saldaña discussed how her first experience with a major blockbuster on the first Pirates film left her disillusioned. She explained that while the cast and crew were fantastic, the leadership from the studio and the producers made the production tumultuous. Reflecting on that time (via Variety), she said:

The Adam Project star’s experience with Pirates was so negative that she nearly lost her passion for working on big-budget projects. In an earlier interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2022, she admitted that she felt "lost in the trenches" during production and didn’t feel supported by the leadership. Years later, producer Jerry Bruckheimer personally apologized to her for the difficulties she faced on set, though the impact of the experience lingered.

Fortunately, her faith in Hollywood was restored when she joined the cast of The Terminal, working alongside Tom Hanks and Catherine Zeta-Jones under Steven Spielberg's direction. Saldaña continued to reflect:

The Star Trek veteran also recalled the iconic Jaws director's warmth and creativity to the set. Unlike her previous experience, where she felt overwhelmed and disillusioned, working on the romantic comedy The Terminal was a breath of fresh air. She remembered feeling “so good and so safe” throughout the shoot. An element that stood out to her was how the War of the Worlds filmmaker would play music over the loudspeakers between scenes, creating a harmonious atmosphere on set and ensuring that everyone was “synchronized and on the same page.”

It's wonderful that Steven Spielberg's attention to detail and care for the well-being of his cast and crew left a lasting impact on the Colombiana star. All in all, one gets the impression that the atmosphere he created showed her that large-scale productions could be both efficient and enjoyable. Thank goodness for Spielberg reigniting the actress' passion for filmmaking -- a passion that audiences have continued to benefit from.

Zoe Saldaña remains a prominent figure in Hollywood, most recently starring in the 2024 movie schedule release and crime-musical thriller Emilia Pérez, set to hit select theaters on Nov. 1,, before its debut on Netflix’s streaming schedule. Considering the A-lister's more recent work, it's apparent that her past experiences have shaped how she approaches new projects. Her commitment to working with directors and teams who lead with respect and kindness is central to her success, and it continues to guide her as she dominates major franchises.

Fans can catch up on some of Zoe Saldaña’s biggest roles by streaming her performances in the Avatar films and the Marvel Cinematic Universe -- and yes, you can even revisit her appearance in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl -- with a Disney+ subscription. As for her collaboration with the Raiders of the Lost Ark helmer, The Terminal is available with a Netflix subscription.

Spoilers ahead for Emilia Pérez.

Movie musical are a tried and true genre, one that I personally have a love for. Some musicals have won Best Picture, and every one in a while we get a film project that pushes outside of what the genre is known for. Case in point: Selena Gomez's new movie Emilia Pérez. It's a bold new take on the movie musical, but as a queer person there were moments that made me feel conflicted.

Emilia Pérez is a new film from Jacques Audiard that's expected to release shortly for those with a Netflix subscription, and has a wild concept. It's a musical and a crime drama put together, with bloody consequences and kinetic visuals. But at the enter is a cartel leader and transgender woman, the titular role played by Karla Sofía Gascón. I had the chance to see an early screening at the Hamptons International Film Festival, and in some of the ways the movie approached her story made me uncomfortable, while in other ways I was deeply moved.

My concerns about Emilia's story started during a musical number early in the film, where a series of nurses and doctors sing about the various procedures Emilia will undergo during her transition. Because the number is so over the top and heightened, I almost felt like they were mocking this process at points. At least for me personally.

Admittedly this could just be my triggers, or the lyrics being lost in translation from Spanish to English. We've all seen those memes about how direct lyrical translations often leave something to be desired with the feel of songs sung in Spanish.

The other tinge of discomfort I had various times during Emilia Pérez is because of the way the protagonist deceived her family. In order to transition safely and leave her life of crime, Emilia faked her own death, with even her wife (Selena Gomez) and children thinking that "Manitas" died. And in some ways he did.

But after a multiyear time jump, Emilia decides she misses her children too much. So she poses as their Aunt, lying to both her kids and her wife Jessi. This lie really helped to build tension throughout the movie, but I was uncomfortable with the story's macguffin being a trans person who is deceiving those around her. This is a negative narrative that's plagued the community for years, so seeing it come up in a major movie gave me pause. Although to be fair, the movie is based off a novel titled Écoute, so it's ultimately an adaptation.

All that being said, there were some beautiful moments in Emilia's story through the film, especially related to her finding peace and power in her womanhood. And her finding acceptance from other women in the film is beautiful to watch. But I'm curious to see what other LBGTQ+ audiences think when Emilia Pérez get released.

Emilia Pérez will arrive on Netflix November 13th after a theatrical run. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.

The list of Taylor Sheridan’s shows feels like it's neverending, and the so the Rolodex of famous actors he’s also gotten into said series also feels infinite. From Kevin Costner’s role as John Dutton in the game-changing Yellowstone to Zoë Saldaña and Jeremy Renner’s turns in shows from Sheridan that aren’t about the Dutton family, the group of actors he’s gathered for these projects is staggering. 

Kevin Costner - Yellowstone 

Kevin Costner is kind of the man who started it all. At the time, he was the most famous person in the Yellowstone cast, and for five seasons he played the patriarch of the modern Dutton family, John Dutton. While he did leave Taylor Sheridan’s flagship western after the first half of Season 5, there’s no denying how much this character gave to the show and his career. 

Sam Elliott - 1883 

Some of Sam Elliott’s best movies, like Tombstone, are Westerns. And while Elliott has dabbled in television, there’s no doubt 1883 is a standout moment in his career. He joined Sheridan’s show as Shea Brennan, a Union Civil War veteran who agrees to take a group of immigrants West. He leads the group of pioneers on a journey from Texas to Montana, and Elliott gives a standout performance as the no-nonsense yet emotionally complex leader of the caravan. 

Harrison Ford - 1923 

Harrison Ford had never led a TV show until 2022 when he starred in 1923 as Jacob Dutton. While he’s known and beloved for playing Indiana Jones and Han Solo in film franchises, the Yellowstone prequel series was a fantastic turn in his career as he reunited with Helen Mirren, and led the spectacular cast of 1923. 

Zoë Saldaña - Lioness 

There are so many actors on this list who we likely never thought we’d see leading a TV series because they’re big movie stars. Well, if you’ve seen the Avatar movies or the Marvel movies in order, you’re aware that Zoë Saldaña has been busy for years between those and other projects. However, she joined the cast of Lioness in 2023 Joe, a CIA operative. 

Helen Mirren -1923 

Cara Dutton is one of the leaders of the Dutton household, and Helen Mirren plays her perfectly. She’s a confident Irish woman who knows how to run her household, and she and her husband Jacob are a perfect pair. Part of the reason why is Mirren and Harrison Ford are an excellent couple is they came back together for this project after working together on The Mosquito Coast in 1986. 

Tim McGraw - 1883 

When you think of Tim McGraw, country music is likely the first thing that comes to mind. However, he’s also a great actor, and 1883 proved that as he led the series as James Dutton, the man who moved his family from Tennessee to Montana to the ranch that is known today as The Yellowstone. McGraw played the character – alongside his wife Faith Hill who plays Margaret Dutton – for the first time in Yellowstone, and then after that, he signed on to make this miniseries about the Dutton’s big move. 

Kelly Reilly -Yellowstone 

Kelly Reilly was an established character actor before this, but Yellowstone made her a star. Her turn as Beth Dutton is magnificent, and watching her spar with Wes Bentley’s Jamie Dutton and fall in love with Cole Hauser’s Rip Wheeler are two of the reasons why she’s one of the major highlights of Taylor Sheridan’s flagship series. 

Billy Bob Thornton- 1883 

If you want to see the power of Taylor Sheridan and his casts, look no further than the fact that he got Billy Bob Thornton to make a cameo as Marshal Jim Courtright in Episode 2 of 1883. After that, he went on to sign up to lead Sheridan’s show Landman. However, the television journey within this Paramount universe began on the Yellowstone prequel.  

Jeremy Renner - Mayor Of Kingstown 

After starring in Taylor Sheridan’s film Wind River, Jeremy Renner collaborated with him again by joining the cast of his and Hugh Dillon’s show Mayor of Kingstown. The Avengers actor plays the titular Mayor, Mike McLusky, and he helps broker power between law enforcement, the prison and the power players in the town.  

Cole Hauser - Yellowstone 

Rip Wheeler was branded with the Y when he was young, and he’s given it to many ranch hands who live and work on the Yellowstone. While he’s not a Dutton by blood (though he is by law since he married Beth), he’s arguably one of the most loyal members of the family. Cole Hauser is the man behind this beloved character. While he had roles in big movies like Good Will Hunting, Dazed and Confused and 2 Fast 2 Furious, this part is arguably what made him a star.  

Faith Hill - 1883 

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have been married since 1996, and in 1883 they played the married couple Margaret and James Dutton. Hill is best known for her music and she had a few minor acting roles earlier in her career. However, this Yellowstone prequel was her first leading role, and she killed it as the surefire, tough and loving pioneer and mother.  

Tom Hanks - 1883 

You’ll probably do a double take when you see Tom Hanks as General George Meade in Episode 2 of 1883. The iconic actor appeared in a flashback that showed Tim McGraw’s character fighting in the Civil War. While we know him for starring in massive movies like Saving Private Ryan and Sleepless in Seattle, in this Taylor Sheridan show, he played a small yet impactful part in this sweeping story.  

David Oyelowo - Lawmen: Bass Reeves 

From The Butler and Selma, David Oyelowo is a formidable actor known best for his roles in these historic dramas. In 2023, he joined Sheridan’s series Lawmen: Bass Reeves, to play the titular man who was the first Black deputy U.S. Marshall. 

Wes Bentley - Yellowstone 

Jamie Dutton is a fascinating character. He’s not a cowboy like his brothers, and he’s always butting heads with his sister Beth. His story is complex and driven by his confusion about his place in his family. Wes Bentley plays this complex and often villainous character so well, and it’s a great addition to his already impressive career that includes films like American Beauty and The Hunger Games.  

Rita Wilson - 1883 

In Episode 6 of 1883, Rita Wilson appears to play a shop owner named Carol. Both she and her husband Tom Hanks had small cameos in this Yellowstone miniseries, and it goes to show how many incredibly famous and talented actors and singers will show up for these shows, even for a small part. 

Shea Whigham - Lawmen: Bass Reeves 

Colonel George Reeves was the Confederate army leader who cheated Bass Reeves out of his freedom. He’s played by Shea Whigham, a fantastic character actor who is known for his roles in TV shows like Perry Mason, Boardwalk Empire and more. It’s also worth mentioning that Lawmen isn’t the first time he’s worked with Sheridan as he had a role in Sicario: Day of the Soldado, which the Yellowstone creator wrote. 

Luke Grimes - Yellowstone 

Much like his on-screen siblings played by Kelly Reilly and Wes Bentley, Luke Grimes had a solid career before Yellowstone. However, his turn as Kayce Dutton made him a household name. Also, on top of his successful acting career, which involves this massive modern Western, he’s a country singer, and his music has been featured in Taylor Sheridan’s show.  

Nicole Kidman - Lioness 

Nicole Kidman plays CIA senior supervisor Kaitlyn Meade in Lioness. Before this, she made an impact in the TV space through the HBO hit Big Little Lies. She also starred in the shows The Undoing and Nine Perfect Strangers before signing on to be part of Taylor Sheridan’s political thriller that airs on Paramount+. 

Sylvester Stallone - Tulsa King 

Other than a few cameos and guest spots here and there, Sylvester Stallone hasn’t really done TV in a big way. However, that changed when he signed on to play Dwight "The General" Manfredi in Taylor Sheridan’s gangster drama Tulsa King. 

Will Patton - Yellowstone 

If you haven’t watched Yellowstone, be warned, there’s a major spoiler ahead! You’ve been warned.

One of the big reveals in Yellowstone came when Jamie found out that John Dutton wasn’t his biological father, and he was adopted. In Seasons 3 and 4, Wes Bentley’s character reconnected with his birth father, Garrett Randall, and he’s played by Will Patton, who is also known for movies like Remember the Titans and Armageddon.  

Morgan Freeman - Lioness 

Of course, Morgan Freeman plays a powerful character in Lioness. The actor with the most illustrious career and seriously iconic voice, joined the Taylor Sheridan show to play Secretary of State Edwin Mullins. 

Dennis Quaid - Lawmen: Bass Reeves 

In Lawmen: Bass Reeves, Dennis Quaid plays Sherrill Lynn. He is one of the series regulars, and like the titular character, he’s a deputy U.S. Marshall. 

Josh Holloway - Yellowstone 

Typically, in a Yellowstone show, one of the Dutton's adversaries is some sort of outsider who is trying to take their land. In Season 3, that guy was named Roarke, and Lost’s Josh Holloway played him. 

Aidan Gillen - Mayor Of Kingstown 

You know and likely love to hate Aidan Gillen as Littlefinger in Game of Thrones. I guarantee you’ll also know and love to hate him as the evil Milo in Mayor of Kingstown too. 

Michael Kelly - Lioness 

Michael Kelly is well known for his roles in action-packed and political thrillers like House of Cards and Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan. So, his joining Lioness to play the CIA’s deputy director Byron Westfield feels very fitting.  

Donald Sutherland - Lawmen: Bass Reeves 

The late great Donald Sutherland’s final role was as Judge Parker in Lawmen: Bass Reeves. From M*A*S*H to The Hunger Games to Pride and Prejudice, and so much more, his career was truly legendary and he capped it off with this Taylor Sheridan show. 

Josh Lucas - Yellowstone 

When you think of John Dutton, Kevin Costner is understandably probably the first person you think of. However, he’s not the only actor who plays the Yellowstone’s patriarch. In flashbacks, he’s portrayed by Josh Lucas, an actor who is also known for his parts in films like Sweet Home Alabama and Ford v. Ferrari. 

Graham Greene - 1883 

In the finale of 1883, Graham Greene plays Spotted Eagle, a Native American leader who helps guide James Dutton toward what will become his home in Montana. Before this, Greene worked with Sheridan on the film Wind River, and he has a history with other members of the Yellowstone cast as he performed alongside Kevin Costner on Dances with Wolves. 

Jacki Weaver - Yellowstone 

Jacki Weaver – an actress known for her roles in films like Silver Linings Playbook and Animal Kingdom – joined Yellowstone in Season 4 as Caroline Warner. She’s one of the folks who works at Market Equities, and she’s trying to obtain part of the Dutton’s ranch to build an airport.

Jerome Flynn -1923 

Jerome Flynn is best known for playing Bronn – a killer and cynical mercenary – on Game of Thrones. In 1923, he plays Banner Creighton, a rancher who gets into a partnership with a businessman who is trying to take the Dutton’s ranch. 

Andrea Savage - Tulsa King 

You likely know Andrea Savage as a comedic actress because of her roles in shows like I’m Sorry, Episodes and Veep. However, she turned into the dramatic genre and showed off a different side of her range by playing Stacy Beale in Tulsa King. 

Neal McDonough - Yellowstone

You can always count on Neal McDonough to play a really good bad guy. He did it in DC’s Arrowverse as Damien Darhk. He did it in Justified as Robert Quarles. Of course, he did it in Yellowstone too, as he played one of Season 2’s antagonists, Malcolm Beck. 

Overall, the list of performers who have worked on one of Taylor Sheridan’s many shows is overwhelming and growing. From A-listers to legendary character actors, many have said yes to working on these series, and that will likely keep happening as the super producer and writer continues to create. 

Nebula's universe is about to get bigger! Karen Gillan, the actress behind the warrior from the Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers movies, is expecting her first child. Gillan just hard-launched her pregnancy to the world by showing up at the Toronto International Film Festival to promote her upcoming movie release with a baby bump and a fitting social media post.

Karen Gillan wrote "COMING SOON! 'The Life Of Chuck' and 'untitled baby' to share the major life news of hers. Check out the first photo of Gillan pregnant in a beautiful dress that she wore to the premiere of her new Stephen King adaptation from Mike Flanagan:

Karen Gillan's announcement led to a ton of supportive comments to flood the actress's social media post. But, it's especially sweet to see her Marvel sister, Zoe Saldaña send her love. Here's what she wrote on her Instagram post:

Isn't that sweet? Zoe Saldaña is a mother of three herself, who has three sons with husband, Marco Perego. The Gamora actress have nine-year-old identical twins named Cy and Bowie and a third son named Zen, who is seven. Soon, she'll perhaps be able to count herself as an auntie too of her Guardians of the Galaxy's sister's "untitled baby." 

Karen Gillan got married in a gorgeous Scottish wedding back in May of 2022 to comedian Nick Kocher. She delayed sharing photos of that milestone until February of the following year. (One can't blame the actress for wanting some privacy during some big moments in her life). And when it comes to her pregnancy, she has been posting pretty consistently on social media for months (aside from August). She just had us fooled to set up this incredible reveal, and it's rather impressive! 

After saying goodbye to her Marvel team with the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 ending last summer, Karen Gillan has a leading role in The Life Of Chuck, which is based on the Stephen King novella found between the pages of the 2020 collection of unpublished stories from the beloved author, If It Bleeds. The story is also one of the author's rare non-horror stories – in a traditional sense, anyway.  

The movie that also stars Tom Hiddleston, Matthew Lillard, Jacob Tremblay, Mark Hamill, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Kate Siegel comes from The Haunting of Hill House filmmaker Mike Flanagan. and is getting rave reviews out of TIFF. The Life of Chuck adaptation doesn't yet have a theatrical release date, but one is expected to be revealed soon.

Funny enough, Gillan also already filmed a comedy called Let's Have Kids! about two friends who decide to get pregnant at the same time to navigate motherhood together. 36-year-old Karen Gillan looks like she will have a lot of support around her, and a new exciting projects on the way as she takes on this new phase of life.

Following her Instagram break, Selena Gomez returned to the app in full force in the only way she knows how: being relatable. She’s not afraid to be open and honest, whether it's clarifying rumors about one of her songs or sharing swimwear photos exuding body positivity. It’s why fans love her. That, and she always shows up for them, like randomly attending a high school volleyball game after being asked. Also, Zoë Saldaña caught wind of what happened and said what most of us are likely thinking.

Selena Gomez was just in Colorado for the Telluride Film Festival, supporting her latest movie, Emilia Pérez. While roaming the streets of the small-mountain town, she saw a handmade poster from local high schoolers asking her to come to their next home volleyball game, with the date and time attached. Being the thoughtful person she is, the Only Murders In The Building star actually showed up. The team was completely surprised and the Rare Beauty mogul took pictures with everyone, documenting the whole saga in an Instagram post:

This all took place this past weekend, in between festival events and appearances for Emilia Pérez. This latest project from French filmmaker Jacques Audiard received wide acclaim at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this summer. It's a musical drama that follows the transition of a wanted drug cartel leader in Mexico to their true gender identity as a woman, Emilia Pérez, and her new life as a philanthropist and socialite.

Selena Gomez stars in the film as the narco’s wife, alongside Zoë Saldaña, who plays a lawyer tasked with helping the evading drug lord in exchange for a huge pay day and a new life. So, of course, the Guardians of the Galaxy alum weighed in on her co-star’s surprise appearance at the high school via the Instagram comments, and she really is reading my mind along with a host of other people's:

So true. Is that not the cutest thing you’ve seen all day? The “Bad Liar” singer has always been so kind to fans. Based on the video, Selena Gomez is happy to be there, and it's evident just how much her showing up meant to the players. Her genuine act was not lost on her friends, who flooded the user-limited comments in support of the kind gesture. Here are some of the top reactions on the post, and every single one is valid:

• Adorable. That will make an imprint on their heart forever. - @candicekumai
• Queen - @estherhouston
• The people’s princess 🥹🥹💗💗 -m@adelainemorin
• This is so sweet ❤️ - @ashleyparklady
• Such a great surprise for the kids of Telluride. ❤️ - @aleenkeshishian

Also, of course, a simple yet sweet message from her consistent hype man and rumored fiancé Benny Blanco was in the mix as well. Blanco simply replied:

Benny Blanco seems to show up for her in the same way that she shows up for her fans, and my Disney kid heart is so happy that Selena Gomez is in a relationship with a supportive partner. I need to see more of them and this film festival. However, she has been keeping us fans well fed with Only Murders content and "demure" TikToks, so I guess I can’t complain that much.

Having followed the Wizards of Waverly Place actress throughout her entire acting career, I’m highly anticipating her next film. I'm also hoping for more wholesome content like the high school post, with Zoë Saldaña and others sharing love again if that happens.

Emilia Pérez will be released in the US, UK and Canada on November 13 for Netflix subscription holders. Also, be sure to check out the 2024 movie schedule for other upcoming features.

Hollywood lost an incredibly influential figure this weekend. Jon Landau, the successful producer best known for his collaborations with director James Cameron, passed away. It was reported that Landau died at 63 following a battle with cancer. Since news of his death broke, a plethora of fans have taken to social media to memorialize the late filmmaker. Now, a number of his collaborators are paying tribute as well. Not only did Cameron himself share some remarks, but Titanic’s Kate Winslet and Avatar’s Zoe Saldaña did as well. 

Kate Winslet notably worked alongside Jon Landau and many others behind the scenes on Titanic, the Oscar-winning 1997 drama that became the highest grossing film of all time. It also brought immense fame for Winslet, who played the role of Rose DeWitt Bukater. Upon learning of Landau’s passing, the actress sent a statement to Deadline in which she shared her remembrances of her late collaborator. While speaking with the trade, the actress noted that she’d been acquainted with the filmmaker “since I was 20 years old.” Winslet lauded Landau as a creative force, saying that “his passion for filmmaking only deepened with age.” She also added the following sentiments: 

Years after working on the historical drama, Kate Winslet and the Campus Man producer would reteam for 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water. That film climbed box office charts to become the third highest grossing film of all time. Another person who worked with them on that movie was, of course, Zoe Saldaña. She played the role of Neytiri in the first two films in the series and was working with the deceased filmmaker again on the forthcoming Avatar 3 and its sequels. Saldaña took to Instagram and paid tribute by sharing a number of photos of her late colleague and she penned a very sweet message in his honor: 

Adding to the chorus of praise for Jon Landau was his good buddy, James Cameron. The Academy Award-winning director shared a statement with Deadline and, with it, he discussed Landau’s legacy. Cameron not only highlighted the former Twentieth Century Fox exec’s legacy but he also spoke to his character as a human being: 

The late Honey, I Shrunk the Kids producer did indeed contribute to “great films,” and his love of the medium was downright electric. Those who followed him on social media surely know just how enthusiastic he was about his work. He was more than game for the “epic undertaking” of making several more Avatar sequels and didn’t mind debunking rumors like that threequel title assumption. Needless to say, this was a man who loved and respected movies, and the industry is a poorer place for not having him. 

Jon Landau’s loss is certainly tremendous, but it’s nothing short of lovely to see so many people giving him his flowers. If anything, Kate Winslet, Zoe Saldaña and James Cameron’s sentiments represent just how many Landau touched people’s lives during his time on earth. He is indeed gone, but he will surely not be forgotten. And we here at CinemaBlend continue to extend our thoughts to Landau’s loved ones during this time.

Word from the planet Pandora has once again reached us here on Earth, this time from Avatar lead-actress Zoe Saldaña. While teasing Avatar 3, the actress challenged Titanic as director James Cameron's greatest film. In fact, unexpectedly, she feels Avatar is his real legacy.

Zoe Saldaña, who plays the Na’vi Neytiri, was asked about her upcoming projects in an interview with Collider. The Avatar actress confirmed the hype surrounding the next three films, including Avatar 3, which is already in post-production, but she also made a comment connecting the franchise to James Cameron's other behemoth film. 

When Titanic was released in 1997, it became the most expensive film ever made, which turned out just fine when it became the highest-grossing movie in U.S. theaters upon release. But both those records were broken by Cameron himself with the release of Avatar in 2008. And unlike the big boat disaster movie, Cameron has at least five sequels lined up for the Na’vi. Avatar 2: Way of the Water, which was released in December 2022, became the fourth highest-grossing film of all time. 

Despite these record-breaking figures, Saldańa's comments were a bit of a surprise to me, as I do think there is more to consider than stats when talking about legacy. Titanic launched the careers of Hollywood alums Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, and in my opinion, will always have a place as an established “classic” movie. It is ingrained into pop culture in a way Avatar may never be able to top, with people doing the iconic Titanic pose on every boat they’ve ever been on. Cue Celine Dion.

But Saldaña’s take is supported by more than just box office success, especially when the Avatar director seems to have a one-track mind. Back in 2012, Cameron told the New York Times he was done taking scripts or developing anything else besides Avatar. The movie series has been known to draw audiences in because of its breathtaking design and incredible industry-leading CGI and VFX production, creating a whole new world that surpasses even the most recent films in iconic universes like Harry Potter and Star Wars. 

And James Cameron just keeps pushing the limits when it comes to these films. As the actress put it, the Oscar-winning director is a trailblazer in his field, with the cast performing insane water VFX filming for Avatar 2. Saldaña hinted in that same interview that the next few movies continue to go further into uncharted territory.

So consider us lucky we won’t need to wait another 13 years between sequels, as the upcoming Avatar 3 was filmed back-to-back with Avatar 2. As of right now, it is included in our 2025 movie release schedule, set for December 19, 2025. 

Saldaña revealed the Avatar cast was headed back to work in mid-February, which hopefully means the current timeline is on track, with Avatar 4 set to release in December 2029, and Avatar 5 in December 2031.

James Cameron has done a relatively good job at keeping details quiet, but has revealed that like in Way of the Water, the audience will meet a new type of Na’vi, revolving around the element of fire.

It seems the director is keen on creating different cultures on Pandora, using the elements as guides, and once again mimicking conflicts that plague our own civilizations. I’m almost tempted to reference a different Avatar franchise with that thought, but I have a feeling that would lead me down a long rabbit hole. Until then, both Avatars are available to watch with a Disney+ subscription.

Never doubt the power of a Taylor Sheridan drama. The writing powerhouse has been taking over a large chunk of Paramount’s programming since Yellowstone premiered, and that dominance will continue because his star-studded show Special Ops: Lioness has been renewed. To celebrate, Zoe Saldaña and her castmate Dave Annable shared a lovely cheers while many others from the ensemble posted about their excitement. 

Following the show’s run that started in July of last year, it was renewed almost 10 months later. However, better late than never, and the Lioness cast is celebrating with a few glasses of wine and a cheers:

Dave Annable, who plays Neal, posted that photo to his Instagram stories, and he and Saldaña, who plays Joe, commemorating the moment with a celebratory clinking of glass just feels right. 

Lioness was met with fairly positive reviews, and like a lot of Sheridan’s shows, the spy-thriller proved to be a huge hit for him and Paramount+.  Now, the missions will continue, and Saldaña is excited about it as she co-posted this announcement with the show’s Instagram account:

Along with the cheers, Annable also posted the same promo as his co-star with the caption:

CIA Deputy Director Byron Westfield himself, Michael Kelly took to Instagram to celebrate too, writing: 

Along with Kelly, Lioness’ cast includes Nicole Kidman and Morgan Freemen, showing, once again, that A-List stars are stoked about working within Taylor Sheridan’s television universe. 

A lot of the other regulars from Special Ops: Lioness also shared their enthusiasm about the renewal on social media. For example, posting a video of the news and some sweet behind-the-scenes photos on Instagram, LaMonica Garrett, who plays Tucker, took to Instagram to write:

The woman behind Cruz Manuelos, Laysla De Oliveira, also took to IG to share in the love and excitement. She posted a headline about the news along with the caption:

Jill Wagner, who plays Bobby, also reposted the video on her story without a caption, so it’s safe to say that the Lioness cast is looking forward to getting back to work. 

Overall, the Lioness crew is thrilled to be part of Taylor Sheridan’s lineup of upcoming shows, and we’re stoked for them!

There truly is no slowing down for Sheridan. Along with Lioness being renewed, Yellowstone’s final episodes are slated to air late on the 2024 TV schedule, and his show Mayor of Kingstown returns for Season 3 later this summer. Plus, Tulsa King was renewed and even more spinoffs within the world of the Dutton family are in development. 

At the moment, not much is known about when we’ll get Season 2 of Lioness, as you can see Taylor Sheridan has his plate pretty full. However, as we learn more about it, we’ll keep you posted. 

In the meantime, you can stream Special Ops: Lioness as well as all of Sheridan’s other shows (except Yellowstone, you need a Peacock subscription for that) with a Paramount+ subscription. 

Many memorable fashion trends have been making their way towards the red carpet. Margot Robbie brought Barbiecore to show we all can look pretty in pink and Florence Pugh helped popularize rocking sheer dresses. With the newest fashion trend being the chain mail look, MCU actor Zoë Saldaña shows us how it’s done with her latest red carpet appearance. 

With the chain mail trend first becoming popular in 1999 with supermodels Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, a recurrence of metal or metal-like material being linked together for a dress has come back. This trend is fitting as the unique ensemble brings about feelings of strength for the wearer. 

Zoë Saldaña made a red carpet appearance at the 49th AFI Life Achievement Awards to honor 2024's recipient Nicole Kidman. She fashioned the chain mail look with a beautiful long dress that made her look like a true warrior. Take a look at the elegant ensemble below:

Striking a pose with hands to her side looking fierce, Zoë Saldaña wore a floor-length black gown with an asymmetrical neckline sporting silver chains flowing from top to bottom. The Guardians of the Galaxy actress accessorized her look with silver earrings and black pointed-toe pumps. Now this is a style I can get used to seeing on the red carpet more often.

We first saw the chain mail look when Kim Kardashian went to comical lengths wearing her metallic dress in 2022 going up those stairs. She’d win a gold medal if hopping up the stairs without falling was a real sport! It proves those dresses may look eye-catching, but can be limiting on movement.

This year, the catchy metallic style reappeared as Miley Cyrus and Megan Fox sported the chain look at this year’s Grammys. The Hannah Montana star wore a metal dress of gold safety pins and the Jennifer’s Body actress with a more risque barely-there chain mail dress. Then there was Dakota Johnson tributing her Madame Web character with her metallic spiderweb gown. The glittery hooded feature of the outfit showed us how easy it can be to get caught in her web of beauty. 

Model Emily Ratajkowski also rocked the chain mail look giving ‘70s vibes with hers and Chrissy Teigen’s sheer metallic look caught the attention of celebs like Paris Hilton and Octavia Spencer. We can’t forget about Florence Pugh’s viral Dune chainmail look and apparently, neither can she. The British actress revealed wearing that costume in the cold morning was very uncomfortable as the chains turned cold. She’s a real trooper for sticking it out.

Zoë Saldaña is the latest actress to glam up the red carpet with the trending chain mail look and it looks incredibly eye-gazing on her. Now, I’m curious what other varieties of the metallic chain ensemble we’ll see from other celebrities on future red carpet premieres this year. Take a look at our 2024 movie releases so you’re aware of Saldaña’s upcoming film projects.