Zoe Saldaña Reveals That Eventually Saying Goodbye to Avatar’s Neytiri Will Be Harder for Her Than Leaving Marvel

With Star Trek, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Avatar under her belt, Zoe Saldaña has earned a reputation as being a sci-fi franchise queen. She has achieved a great deal of success between these various projects, but only one of these genre roles is still ongoing: Neytiri in the Avatar films. Saldaña said goodbye to Marvel’s Gamora after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and it was recently announced Paramount is moving on from Star Trek’s Kelvin Timeline. In the meantime, audiences will soon see Saldaña’s third performance as Neytiri in Avatar: Fire and Ash, but there will come a day when the actress will have to step away from Avatar as well. And she knows that will be one of the most emotional moments of her career.

In an interview with ComicBook to promote the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash, Saldaña admitted that saying goodbye to Neytiri would be harder than Gamora. “I think because she was the first, and there is a connection that we have with our first times and our first ones,” she said. “Not to say that you can’t choose favorites, but everything that Neytiri has taught me and has given me is so magical and special. I feel like Neytiri was the beginning of a wonderful ride for me, that enabled me to have the visibility and be seen by a James Gunn and be seen by a J.J. Abrams … it will always be very special, the connection that I have with Neytiri.”

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Avatar Was Very Important for Zoe Saldaña’s Career

Though Star Trek released a handful of months before Avatar in 2009, Avatar was the first time Saldaña had been cast in a primary role in a project of that magnitude. Prior to joining James Cameron’s sci-fi epic, she had accumulated several acting credits (including smaller parts in titles like Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and The Terminal), but Avatar is what put her on the map, completely transforming the trajectory of her career. Saldaña’s performance as Neytiri is a highlight of Avatar, and she demonstrated that she was more than capable of headlining a massive studio blockbuster. Without Avatar, she may not have landed roles like Uhura and Gamora, which would have been a significant loss for those franchises.

When taking a step back and looking at Saldaña’s career in full, it’s easy to see why she has such strong feelings about Neytiri. It’s clear the character means a lot to her, as she had an opportunity to portray a strong, powerful, and determined warrior who also cares deeply about those closest to her. Understandably, the visual effects in Avatar get a lion’s share of the attention, but Neytiri is one of the standout characters who proves the franchise has plenty of substance to complement the awe-inspiring spectacle. In Fire and Ash, Neytiri will be struggling as she mourns the loss of her son, giving Saldaña a chance to explore some rich dramatic material that showcases even more of her range.

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If everything goes according to plan, Saldaña won’t have to bid farewell to Neytiri for several more years. There are two more Avatar movies scheduled for 2029 and 2031, though it’s unknown when (or if) those films will actually be made. Cameron is being patient and will see how Avatar: Fire and Ash performs before making a decision. He could opt to push Avatar 4 and 5 back as he figures out a more efficient method to produce the films. He’s also prepared for the event Fire and Ash marks the end of the Avatar film series, planning to write a book that ties up the lone loose thread should Fire and Ash underwhelm at the box office.

While Cameron is smart to not just rush into Avatar 4, odds are Saldaña will continue to appear as Neytiri on screen into the next decade. The first two Avatar movies grossed over $2 billion each, and while early reactions to Fire and Ash point out some flaws, it’s widely expected to be one of the highest-grossing movies of the year. Assuming its profit margin meets Cameron’s expectations, he’ll move ahead on Avatar 4, meaning Saldaña doesn’t have to worry about any tearful goodbyes any time soon.

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