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The Star Whose Dyslexia And Anxiety Did Not Prevent Her From Triumphing At The Oscars
Zoe Saldaña won her first Academy Award and finished undefeated this awards season
Saldaña is one of Hollywood ‘s top-grossing actresses and this Sunday, when she won her first Oscar, she made it clear that nothing is impossible. The Dominican-born star suffers from dyslexia, but this condition has not been an impediment to her success.
She is also the only Hollywood actress to have starred in four films that grossed more than $
2 billion at the box office each: ‘Avatar’ (2009), ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ (2022), ‘Avengers: Endgame’ (2019) and ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ (2018).
However, it has not been a bed of roses for the actress. She has had to battle dyslexia and anxiety. Last year, he revealed that he suffers from dyslexia and anxiety, two conditions that prevented him from accepting dialogue-heavy roles.
“The challenges I’ve had have to do with my ability to learn,” Saldaña told Variety. “ I have dyslexia and anxiety, which has really kept me from getting roles, a lot of roles, that I know I could have played.”
The famed actress turned down the chance to star in Taylor Sheridan’s military series, Special Ops: Lioness, because she was intimidated by the prospect of having to learn so much dialogue. When she finally accepted the role, which Sheridan had written with her in mind, she requested her scripts weeks in advance and hired a line reader to go over them with her for a couple of hours each day over Zoom.
“I would memorize, memorize, memorize, and when the scene came, it was an extension of who I was, like ballet,” she said, recalling the moment it all clicked. “The moment my brain realized that words are like a plié in a pas de deux, I was like, ‘Oh, a grand jeté is like a Taylor Sheridan monologue. ’”
Saldaña added that being “120% prepared” has helped her with her anxiety and dyslexia. “But always keeping in mind that there’s always an element of surprise that you have to let go because a lot of things can happen on the morning of,” she says. “And if you miss them because you’re too wrapped up in your head, then you miss everything.”
After winning her first Oscar for her role in “Emilia Pérez” playing Rita, a lawyer who is somewhat fed up with her job, the actress tearfully expressed her gratitude to her family.
“Mommy! Mommy!” Saldaña said through tears. “My mom is here. My family is here. I am overwhelmed by this honor. Thank you to the academy for recognizing the quiet heroism and power of a woman like Rita and for speaking out about powerful women. My fellow nominees, the love and community they have given me is truly a gift, and I will give back to others.”
“ My grandmother came to this country in 1961. I am a proud daughter of immigrant parents, with dreams, dignity and hard-working hands,” Saldaña said. “And I am the first Dominican-American to accept an Academy Award. And I know I won’t be the last.”
In “Emilia Perez,” Saldaña played down-on-her-luck attorney Rita Castro, who is hired by a Mexican drug lord to facilitate gender-affirming surgery. That drug lord becomes Emilia Perez, played by best actress nominee Karla Sofia Gascon, the first openly transgender actress nominated for an Oscar.
“The fact that I am being given an award for a role in which I had to sing and speak in Spanish, my grandmother, if she were here, would be delighted,” said Saldaña.
Jacques Audiard‘s classic Spanish-language musical Narco had 13 nominations heading into the Oscars, but the already controversial film generated even more controversy after old offensive tweets by Gascón came to light. The film also received criticism for its depiction of Mexican culture.
The ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ actress shares her three sons, Zen, 8, and twins Bowie and Cy, 10, with her husband Marco Perego. Zoe Saldaña shared an adorable moment with her family backstage at the 2025 Oscars.
The Emilia Pérez actress, 46, took the stage at the Dolby Theatre to accept the Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. After her win, she spoke with Live with Kelly and Mark hosts Kelly Ripa, 54, and Mark Consuelos, 53, backstage about the moment and FaceTimed with her husband Marco Perego, 46, and their three sons, Zen, 8, and twins Bowie and Cy, 10, about the milestone.
“Mom won! Mom won!” she enthusiastically said to her boys, as she held the award up in front of the camera.
Despite her high-profile career, appearing in movies like Guardians of the Galaxy and Avatar, Saldaña always prioritizes special moments with the “best people” in her family of five. Saldaña and Perego have done their best to keep their children out of the spotlight.
“Marco and I have a great deal of respect for the privacy of our kids,” she told George V Magazine in 2021. “We have to choose for them and part of that is giving them the anonymity that they need.”
Still, Saldaña’s kids know about her Hollywood fame. “I see how [Zen] is trying to place me in his mind like, ‘OK, you’re Mama, but you’re also Gamora,'” she said of her youngest during an interview for George V Magazine. “The fact that that gives me street cred with my kids, it’s fun, it’s great.”
Saldaña has previously opened up about not raising her boys with gender-specific roles, but “teaching our little boys to honor women and to celebrate women.”
“We’re very hard on our boys the same way we’re hard on women. And boys are encouraged to be strong and to suppress their emotions,” she explained to George V Magazine in 2023.
“And then once you learn to do that so much for so long, you become completely excommunicated from your feelings,” she continued. “We definitely understood the assignments and accepted it knowing that we were raising boys during a time when women’s movements are so important.”
Saldaña Continues Streak In Saint Laurent’s New Campaign
For celebrities, there’s no better time to revamp your aesthetic than during a press tour. Take it from Zoe Saldaña, who’s in the midst of an intense promo trail for Emilia Pérez. Throughout the last 10 months of press events, the fashion muse has experimented with various designers, striking silhouettes, and most frequently, transparent attire. So far, she’s donned see-through looks at the Cannes Film Festival, at numerous Emilia Pérez premieres, and even on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar. In her latest move, on Feb. 3, Saldaña went sheer for the Saint Laurent Spring 2025 campaign — marking yet another collaboration between the actor and creative director Anthony Vaccarello.
Almost two months after Gwyneth Paltrow went viral as the label’s new cover girl, Saldaña followed in her footsteps with an equally chic campaign. Inside a Manhattan sky-rise, the Golden Globe winner posed for director David Sims just minutes before the sun set. Saldaña stunned in a flowy taupe gown, complete with long-sleeves, tiered ruffles, and a plunging neckline. Similar to her Harper’s Bazaar moment, the entire number was see-through — even the floor-length skirt, which revealed her complementary underwear. From there, she upped the boho-chic vibes with Saint Laurent jewelry. First, Saldaña popped on a statement gold necklace made of coin pendants. Then, she wore oversized brass stud earrings with a dark crystal in the center. The Avatar alum’s earrings matched her layered bracelets and bangles, also from Saint Laurent. It’s unclear what footwear she opted for, but if it’s anything like her latest Saint Laurent looks, she chose strappy sandals from the brand.
In addition to the imagery, Saldaña also starred in a coordinating video for the Spring 2025 campaign. With “Girl Loves Me” by David Bowie playing in the background, the A-lister styled the same sheer ensemble. The camera showcased every angle of Saldaña’s dress, including the ruffled shoulders, the ruched skirt, and the cinched sleeves.
Shockingly, Saldaña isn’t an official ambassador for Saint Laurent (yet). However, this campaign could potentially secure her a spot among other ambassadors like Zoë Kravitz and Rosé. Regardless, keep an eye out for her next Saint Laurent outfit — it’s sure to be stellar.
Madeline Fass
Christopher Luu
Amandine Lhoste
Alexis Parker