Zoe In Ocean Drive Magazine
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ETA: Cover image found at zoe-saldana.com
By Laurie Brookins
Photograph by Ruven Afanador
Right around the moment Zoë Saldana is explaining the techno-intensive process of performance capture, that’s when the epiphany strikes. “So, let me get this straight,” I reply. “Your performance- your mannerisms, all physical characteristics and your voice-was digitally captured and fed into a computer, where the world of the film already existed; so you essentially became an avatar to film a movie about someone who must become an avatar to save a civilization?”
She is delighted by the comparison. “Omigosh, that’s a fantastic interpretation,” Saldana says. “I’m going to email Jim right away.”
Jim, of course, is James Cameron, the writer/director of Avatar, undeniably the year’s biggest event film, set for release December 18. Twelve years ago Cameron forever raised the bar on blockbusters with Titanic, though that record-setter may take on the patina of student film compared to the frenzy surrounding Avatar, which stars Saldana, Sigourney Weaver and Terminator Salvation’s Sam Worthington. Weaver was the kick-ass heroine of Cameron’s Aliens in 1986, and now it’s Saldana’s turn as Neytiri, introduced in Avatar when she saves Worthington’s Jake Sully from a pack of viperwolves. What’s a viperwolf, you ask? Not unlike Saldana’s nine-foot-tall, blue-skinned, alienmeets- humanoid Neytiri, it was born in the mind of Cameron. “When you work with James Cameron, it’s like going to Juilliard or Harvard-it’s an intensive course in acting and filmmaking,” Saldana says. “Even during the audition process, the readings were like the most incredible acting classes. I went from, God, I hope it get it, to, I don’t care if I get it, I’ve learned so much already.”
But get it Saldana did, ultimately working with Cameron intermittently “for a little more than two years” on Avatar, while the fortuitous timing of his process allowed another role to come her way. “We filmed the performance capture for Avatar in Los Angeles for seven months,” she explains. “And then Jim went to New Zealand for four months-that’s when I did Star Trek.” Roundly agreed to be the best film of summer 2009, J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek not only reignited the franchise, but also sparked a surprising plot twist between Zachary Quinto’s Spock and Saldana’s Uhura. “That was an amazing surprise for all of us, that Uhura and Spock had such chemistry-but when you think about their characteristics and what they stand for, of course they’re going to end up together,” Saldana says. “Zach and I went to Mexico with J.J. and Bob Orci, one of the writers, in late spring to promote the film, and we tried to squeeze more info out of them about the sequel. J.J. also promised me at least one physically challenging scene-the guys got to do all the fun stuff in the first one, so next time it’s my turn.”
Indeed, Saldana says she was all too ready for action after Star Trek and Avatar, and she got her wish with The Losers, a Sylvain White-helmed revenge film from a Peter Berg script, set for release next spring. “I was like, ‘Hang me from this wire,’ or, ‘I’ll ride a horse with no harness, no problem,’” Saldana recalls. “They really took me seriously; it was all weapons training, fighting and jumping off buildings.”
In late October I ask Saldana if she’s prepared for the white-hot attention sure to come her way as Avatar’s premiere approaches, but that isn’t foremost on her agenda. “What I hope is that my work gets the attention of more amazing directors.” Anyone specific in mind? “Are you kidding?” she says, then gleefully reels off a list that includes Steven Spielberg, with whom Saldana worked on 2004’s The Terminal, and ideally a first chance with Jim Sheridan or Rod Lurie. “I met Ang Lee two weeks ago and nearly fainted. I’m one of those actors who lives to work with amazing people-yeah, the paychecks are great, but they allow me to focus on nurturing my craft. I really do feel blessed every single day.”
ETA: Cover image found at zoe-saldana.com
By Laurie Brookins
Photograph by Ruven Afanador
Right around the moment Zoë Saldana is explaining the techno-intensive process of performance capture, that’s when the epiphany strikes. “So, let me get this straight,” I reply. “Your performance- your mannerisms, all physical characteristics and your voice-was digitally captured and fed into a computer, where the world of the film already existed; so you essentially became an avatar to film a movie about someone who must become an avatar to save a civilization?”
She is delighted by the comparison. “Omigosh, that’s a fantastic interpretation,” Saldana says. “I’m going to email Jim right away.”
Jim, of course, is James Cameron, the writer/director of Avatar, undeniably the year’s biggest event film, set for release December 18. Twelve years ago Cameron forever raised the bar on blockbusters with Titanic, though that record-setter may take on the patina of student film compared to the frenzy surrounding Avatar, which stars Saldana, Sigourney Weaver and Terminator Salvation’s Sam Worthington. Weaver was the kick-ass heroine of Cameron’s Aliens in 1986, and now it’s Saldana’s turn as Neytiri, introduced in Avatar when she saves Worthington’s Jake Sully from a pack of viperwolves. What’s a viperwolf, you ask? Not unlike Saldana’s nine-foot-tall, blue-skinned, alienmeets- humanoid Neytiri, it was born in the mind of Cameron. “When you work with James Cameron, it’s like going to Juilliard or Harvard-it’s an intensive course in acting and filmmaking,” Saldana says. “Even during the audition process, the readings were like the most incredible acting classes. I went from, God, I hope it get it, to, I don’t care if I get it, I’ve learned so much already.”
But get it Saldana did, ultimately working with Cameron intermittently “for a little more than two years” on Avatar, while the fortuitous timing of his process allowed another role to come her way. “We filmed the performance capture for Avatar in Los Angeles for seven months,” she explains. “And then Jim went to New Zealand for four months-that’s when I did Star Trek.” Roundly agreed to be the best film of summer 2009, J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek not only reignited the franchise, but also sparked a surprising plot twist between Zachary Quinto’s Spock and Saldana’s Uhura. “That was an amazing surprise for all of us, that Uhura and Spock had such chemistry-but when you think about their characteristics and what they stand for, of course they’re going to end up together,” Saldana says. “Zach and I went to Mexico with J.J. and Bob Orci, one of the writers, in late spring to promote the film, and we tried to squeeze more info out of them about the sequel. J.J. also promised me at least one physically challenging scene-the guys got to do all the fun stuff in the first one, so next time it’s my turn.”
Indeed, Saldana says she was all too ready for action after Star Trek and Avatar, and she got her wish with The Losers, a Sylvain White-helmed revenge film from a Peter Berg script, set for release next spring. “I was like, ‘Hang me from this wire,’ or, ‘I’ll ride a horse with no harness, no problem,’” Saldana recalls. “They really took me seriously; it was all weapons training, fighting and jumping off buildings.”
In late October I ask Saldana if she’s prepared for the white-hot attention sure to come her way as Avatar’s premiere approaches, but that isn’t foremost on her agenda. “What I hope is that my work gets the attention of more amazing directors.” Anyone specific in mind? “Are you kidding?” she says, then gleefully reels off a list that includes Steven Spielberg, with whom Saldana worked on 2004’s The Terminal, and ideally a first chance with Jim Sheridan or Rod Lurie. “I met Ang Lee two weeks ago and nearly fainted. I’m one of those actors who lives to work with amazing people-yeah, the paychecks are great, but they allow me to focus on nurturing my craft. I really do feel blessed every single day.”