Though she came to fame through her role in the biggest movie of all time, James Cameron’s “Avatar,” actress Zoe Saldana actually starred in the “Star Trek” franchise first. Months before she played a Na’vi on the world of Pandora, she took on the role of Nyota Uhura in J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot of the “Trek” franchise. Taking over the role from original actress Nichelle Nichols, Saldana’s version of Uhura was younger, livelier, and in love with science officer Mr. Spock, now played by Zachary Quinto. Saldana returned for the two sequels, ending her relationship with the ship’s resident Vulcan in between the second and third movies.
Five years after starring in “Star Trek,” Saldana joined her third major science fiction franchise, swapping the blue makeup of “Avatar” for green in the 2014 MCU entry, “Guardians Of The Galaxy.” Starting out as a deadly alien assassin at odds with the movie’s hero, she soon sets out to forge her own path from under the shadow of her tyrant father Thanos, joining Peter Quill, Drax, Rocket, and Groot to form a new cosmic superhero team. Saldana would play the role again in the sequel, as well as “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame,” where she fought against her father and died so that he could obtain one of the final Infinity Stones. She’s due to return for a third “Guardians Of The Galaxy,” as well as a Christmas Special on Disney+, playing a multiverse variant of her former character.