At this year’s Academy Awards, Zoe Saldaña made history as the first Dominican-American to win an Oscar for the most negatively talked about film of this year’s award cycle, “Emilia Pérez.” Despite much controversy surrounding the film — criticism about its representation of trans people, Mexico and more — Saldaña’s performance has been lauded, evident by her awards season sweep winning the Critic’s Choice, BAFTA, Golden Globe, SAG Award and ultimately the Oscar. Harper’s Bazaar called her “a revelation,” The New York Times called her “El Mal” performance “the film’s highlight” and “so potent” and the Los Angeles Times praised her saying, “it’s easy to believe Saldaña could be the most versatile screen actor around.”
The praise and accolades Saldaña has been awarded are well-deserved. As echoed by critics, Saldaña’s versatility as an actress is admirable and powerful. While it is upsetting that her win is somewhat tainted by the film’s controversial narrative, there is no denying her immense talent as on the screen.
“Emilia Pérez” is the film that won Saldaña the Oscar, but arguably her best performance is that of Neytiri in the Avatar franchise. In “Avatar”, Saldaña captures the multitudes and complexities of Neytiri with ease — her ferocity as a fighter and one of the Na’vi, her loyalty to her people as their ‘princess’ and her love for Jake, which complicates her morals. Moving into the second film, “Avatar: The Way of Water” she brings a new level of depth and emotion to Neytiri, who is now a mother.
James Cameron, director of the “Avatar” franchise, summarizes Saldaña’s performance as Neytiri best: “She can go from regal to, in two nanoseconds, utterly feral. The woman is ferocious. She is a freaking lioness.” Cameron also argues that due to the computer-generated nature of her character, her acting “doesn’t count in some way,” which is sadly accurate. Looking at the behind-the-scenes from the filming of “Avatar” prior to CGI and seeing the pure, raw emotion on Saldaña’s face, there is no denying just how talented and formidable she is as an actress. Beyond “Avatar,” Saldaña has also brought Nyota Uhura’s strength and intelligence to life in the Star Trek franchise and portrayed Gamora’s evolution in the Marvel Cinematic Universe remarkably.
All of this praise for Saldaña is not to say she is a perfect person or should not receive some criticism for her role in “Emilia Pérez.” In fact, this is not the first time Saldaña has been critiqued for a role. She infamously portrayed Nina Simone in blackface for the biopic “Nina” and very fairly received much backlash. In response to “Nina” and the critiques of Saldaña, Lisa Simone Kelly, Simone’s daughter, said in an interview with Time Magazine, “It’s unfortunate that Zoe Saldaña is being attacked so viciously when she is someone who is part of a larger picture.”
Kelly’s words ring true today and can be applied to the debate around “Emilia Pérez.” Yes, one can argue that Saldaña should not have taken the role in the first place, but Saldaña should not bear the brunt of the blame as she is simply part of a larger picture. In a poignant post-Oscars article, journalist Johanna Ferreria wrote, “At the end of the day, it’s the Hollywood gatekeepers who are essentially responsible for the narratives that we continue to see.” And it is true. Most at fault are the writers, director and studio who brought this narrative — and other similar, controversial narratives — to the silver screen.
All of this is not to start an extreme defense for Saldaña but rather to encourage critics to direct their criticism to the right place. If you want to critique her acting, that is valid; as the actress in the role, that criticism falls on her. However, if you want to critique the narrative, direct your criticism to the writer who shaped the story.
Saldaña’s Oscar win marks a significant milestone, not just for her career, but for broader representation in Hollywood. While the controversy surrounding “Emilia Pérez” complicates the conversation, it shouldn’t overshadow the depth and versatility Saldaña has demonstrated throughout her career. Saldaña has consistently brought nuance and power to her performances — most notably in the superhero and science-fiction genres, which all too often tend to be predominantly white and sideline characters of color. Art demands to be critiqued, and film is no different. But do not let the controversies of “Emilia Pérez” take away from Saldaña’s talent and historic accomplishment.
