Zoe Saldana (born Zoe Yanira Zaldaña Nazario on June 19, 1978 in New Jersey) is an American actress.

At the age of seven, Zaldaña moved to her parents' native Dominican Republic, to learn about her Latin American culture's heritage and to start training for a future career in show business. There, she was enlisted in a ballet class. Zaldaña gained experience as a dancer in the Dominican Republic, having been enlisted in one of the most prestigious dancing schools of that country. After a few years there, she and her family decided to return to the United States, where Zaldaña enrolled in an acting program, called the Faces Theater Program.

She was still a member of that school when she got her first screen experience, on an episode of Law & Order that first aired October 13, 1999. Zaldaña left the school after her major film debut, in 2000's Center Stage. She has gained popularity in Hollywood, with her participation in television shows like Law & Order and in a number of movies.