As the 2024 movie schedule wraps up and awards season approaches, Zoe Saldaña is discussing her experiences starring in big franchises, one being Avatar. Despite the films’ box office success and revolutionary visual storytelling, Saldaña has pointed out how they’ve been overlooked when it comes to awards—particularly in major acting categories. However, shifting focus from her frustrations over mo-cap snubs, the Star Trek alum shared an exciting Avatar 3 tease, and it’s precisely the kind of insight I’ve been waiting for.
Why Zoe Saldaña Thinks The Avatar Movies Deserve More Credit
While the Avatar films have shattered box office records and introduced revolutionary motion capture techniques, the Guardians of the Galaxy star has voiced her disappointment with how acting performances in the franchise are overlooked, feeling “deflated” regarding awards recognition.
Zoe Saldaña explained in a recent interview with Variety that it comes down to folks not understanding what goes into motion capture work and that the performers “don’t show up in sweatpants.” She told the outlet:
I’m going to keep hoping that people and members of academies and organizations reach a level of understanding of what performance capture truly is and what it does for the artist. It gives the artist the right to take full proprietorship of their work. It is not a work that is cloned or imitated. The artist is the one that really does all the labor and the technicians, in post, paint over it.
Director James Cameron has also spoken about the extraordinary effort Saldaña puts into her roles, comparing her work in Avatar to that of other Oscar-winning performances. While the former MCU star remains optimistic that recognition for motion capture acting will come eventually, her frustration at being consistently minimized is evident.
An Exciting Avatar 3 Update Proves There’s Still Time For Award Recognition
With the upcoming Avatar: Fire & Ash on the horizon as part of the 2025 movie schedule, there’s still time for industry recognition to catch up. Saldaña recently shared a heartfelt tease with Deadline about the upcoming film’s storyline, focusing on where the Sully family goes next after the emotional events of The Way of Water’s ending. She said:
The way that we left the Sully family, they’re mourning heavily the loss of their child. So I do believe that that will carry out a great deal in the third installment of Avatar. Jake and Neytiri are on this journey of acceptance, of accepting who they are and what they must be for each other and how they’re going to push forward to keep their family safe.
I’m more than curious to see how the Sulleys move on following the death of young Neteyam, who was killed by one of Miles Quaritch’s men. Surely, this will serve as an emotional subplot within the film. The Crossroads alum also highlighted the evolving relationship between Jake and her character, Neytiri, noting that their love story remains at the saga’s core. The Lioness performer continued:
And I love the fact that in the core of this entire saga is a beautiful love story, and I love that Jim really wrote that for them. But it’s not going to be easy. They’re not always going to meet eye to eye, and I just hope that they keep each other safe. That’s my hope for them.
As the next chapter unfolds, Avatar 3 promises to deliver the stunning visuals audiences have come to expect and deeper emotional stakes. Whether awards institutions finally recognize the artistry of motion capture performances remains to be seen, but fans of the franchise are likely already anticipating another unforgettable journey to Pandora.
You can revisit Zoe Saldaña’s extraordinary work in the Avatar films with a Disney+ subscription, and her Golden Globe-nominated performance in Emilia Pérez is streamable now with a Netflix subscription.