Zoe Saldana Calls Out Hollywood Elitists Who Look Down On Marvel Movies

Guardians of the Galaxy and Avengers: Infinity War star Zoe Saldana has words for "elitists" who look down on "sell out" superhero actors and comic book movies.

"I've been in rooms with people in this industry who are great at what they do, but they're absolutely elitist and they look down at movies like the Marvel films or actors like myself," Saldana told Porter.

"They think we're selling out in some way. Every time they speak I feel so disappointed in them, because whenever you see pictures of people in this industry who donate their time to children in need, it's these actors that live in the world that you feel is selling out," Saldana explained.

"It's these actors that understand the role that they play inspires a five-year-old who has one dying wish to meet a superhero. That actor takes time out of their life and sits down with that five-year-old and says, 'I see you, I hear you, and you matter.'"

Saldana, who has played blue-skinned alien Neytiri, the Na'vi princess from James Cameron's Avatar, and is best known for her Marvel role as green-skinned Guardian of the Galaxy and alien warrior Gamora, embraces her superhero identity because of what the role means to children.

"Those elitists should be a little more cognizant about what playing a superhero means to a young child. Because you're not just dissing me, you're dissing what that child considers important in their world," Saldana said.

"I feel so proud to be living in space, to be playing green and blue aliens, to inspire, primarily, the younger generations," she added. "I remember what it was like to be young and to feel completely excluded out of the mainstream conversation of life because I was just little and unimportant and 'other.'"

Gamora plays an importal role come Infinity War, where the Guardians of the Galaxy make their way to Earth: it's her adoptive father, galactic warlord Thanos (Josh Brolin), who is responsible for assembling almost every hero in the shared Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Avengers: Infinity War opens April 27.