Zoe Saldana Says It’s Better For Women In Space

Zoe Saldana is the reigning queen of scifi franchises: with Star Trek, Avatar and now Guardians of the Galaxy bringing her into the Marvel Cinematic Universe super-franchise, she occupies a unique space in the moder popcultconsciousness. While talking with her for the next issue of BIRTH.MOVIES.DEATH, I asked her what drew her to these kinds of roles, and her response was telling: 

I like being in space because there are better parts for women in space. I don’t have to subject myself to just being the love interest or playing a character that doesn’t feel relevant to the story or playing a woman that doesn’t feel like an actual depiction of a real woman. When I read films in space and I’m working with these kinds of filmmakers there’s a neutral sense to the way they develop characters. It makes me feel very significant, very relevant and very excited.

There's more to it for her - she also likes the visionary qualities of the filmmakers drawn to these kinds of movies. 

They give themselves the right to imagine the unimaginable. I’m the kind of person that, even if I wasn’t in this business, and I was at a BBQ and someone like James Cameron and Steven Spielberg and  JJ Abrams was at that BBQ - and they weren’t filmmakers - we’d still end up talking. I’d be in that group. I’d gravitate towards those people more - they’re such interesting creatures to me!

On the Guardians tip here are some new character posters Disney released today for Groot and Rocket. Gamora is above!