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Zoe Saldana 50 things to help you know her better.
1. Is a trained dancer who's become a leading actress in Hollywood.
2. Starred in blockbusters like Pirates of the Caribbean, Star Trek and Avatar.
3. Was born on June 19, 1978 in Passaic, New Jersey, and partly raised in the Dominican Republic.
4. Zoe is bilingual. She speaks English and Spanish.
5. She's also been a model for Avon, the Gap.
6. Has two sisters Cisely and Mariel.
7. Saldana studied a variety of dance forms at ECOS Espacio de Danza Academy, developing a particular fondness for ballet.
8. She is of a mixed ethnic heritage.
9. Her mother is of Puerto Rican descent.
10. Her father was from the Dominican Republic.
11. At the age of 9, her father died in a car accident, and her mother subsequently moved Saldana and her two sisters Cisely and Mariel to the Dominican Republic, where they lived with their grandparents.
12. Modeled for Calvin Klein.
13. Moved to New York at 17.
14. Joined FACES, a teen-oriented theater group.
15. Was discovered by a talent agent through the New York Youth Theater where she acted.
16. Her movie acting debut was in the dance drama Center Stage, which portrayed a group of ballet students training at an academy.
17. Appeared in the drama The Terminal with Tom Hanks, as well as Haven.
18. Continued to act in a number of ensemble films, both commercial and indie, and appeared on TV with roles in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Six Degrees.
19. Saldana spent months training for the athletic role in Avatar, taking up horseback riding, archery and wushu martial arts.
20. Director James Cameron used performance capture technology to create Saldana's computer-generated character, driven by her bodily movements and facial expressions in a studio setting.
21. The year 2012 saw Saldana making news off-screen by rushing to the aid of a woman who was injured in a car crash.
22. She's also co-directed episodes for The Rope, a web series developed by Vin Diesel about bouncers and the world of nightlife.
23. Saldana has a strong interest in fashion.
24. Modeled with her sisters in a Gap print ad and W magazine editorial.
25. Has appeared in many other magazines as well, including Elle, Vanity Fair, Latina, GQ Italia, Essence, Nylon and InStyle.
26. Partnered with actor Keith Britton to found the website for My Fashion Database.
27. In June 2010, Saldana became engaged to her longtime boyfriend Keith Britton.
28. Saldana and Britton announced in November 2011 that they had ended their relationship after 11 years together.
29. During her pregnancy, Saldana stated that her children will be bilingual as she and her husband plan to speak both Spanish and English around them.
30. She watches what she eats but does not diet.
31. Does Pilates regularly because it's the closest thing to dance.
32. Saldana is a celebrity supporter of FINCA International, a microfinance organization.
33. In 2013, Saldana married Marco Perego.
34. Her husband is an Italian artist.
35. The couple married secretly in London.
36. The couple had twins boys in 2014.
37. Her full name is Zoe Yadira Saldaña Nazario.
38. She is an actress, dancer and a producer.
39. Saldana also has Haitian and Lebanese roots.
40. Has a half-brother named Nipo, known as "Nipo 809", who is a Dominican artist and producer.
41. Saldana's mother was a Star Trek fan and sent her voice mails during filming, giving advice on the role.
42. She was required to gain a weight for the role in The Losers.
43. Zoe is the middle child. Mariel, Zoe, and Cisely were each born one year apart.
44. She is left-handed.
45. Is super proud of being Latina and loves her culture.
46. When asked whether she considers herself Dominican or American, she answered "I am a black woman."
47. Is a self-proclaimed sci-fi geek!
48. Grew up in a very sci-fi home.
49. She married her husband after dating only 3 months.
50. Worked at Burger King before she was famous.
