Zoe Saldana is one of the most enchanting and graceful actresses ever to grace the silver screen in Hollywood. Her award-winning performance in director James Cameron’s 2009 epic science fiction film Avatar and its follow-up sequel has proved her incredible cinematic skills. Saldana personified her portrayal of Neytiri Sully in the movie effectively with nuanced and naturalism that left the audience glued to the screen.
The film gave an extraordinary experience upon its theater release and became one of the highest-grossing projects. The Guardians of the Galaxy movie star once revealed that while she was filming the titular film sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, the director lost the bet against her because he overlooked her outstanding archery skills.
Zoe Saldana Shines as Neytiri Sully in the Avatar Film Series
Zoe Saldana ventured into Hollywood in 1999 with a minor role in the legal television drama Law & Order. She earned her first film role in the 2000 American teen drama Center Stage. In 2009, she was rising at the heights of superstardom, and the year proved reward-worthy for her career-wise because she landed prominent roles in two big banner projects: the Star Trek series and the Avatar film.
Director James Cameron’s Avatar franchise film series mark as the new dawn for Saldana’s career, and her captivating, detailed jaw-dropping performance earned her immense love and attention from millions of fans. After her debut in the original movie, she reprised her role in its sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, as Neytiri Sully, a warrior woman. She displayed a memorable performance and proved that she could do anything with her powerful acting chops.
Zoe Saldana Left James Cameron Stunned With Her Archery Skills
Zoe Saldana underwent six months of training to excel at archery skills. She was determined to use the weapon effectively as she was fully invested in her role. The tireless work she did on-screen and off-screen in the commercially hit franchise paid well in terms of the results because Avatar and its sequel broke several records at the box office and earned an iconic status in American cinema’s history.
Saldana once revealed that Cameron lost a bet on her as he underestimated her archery skills. While filming Avatar: The Way of Water, the film director placed a bet against her archery skills, and when she began shooting, her shot left him stunned, and he lost his money. In a candid interview, The Terminal movie star recalled,
“I’m proud of the fact that Jim [Cameron] has lost bets of whether or not again I can hit a mark. [Mimics bow and arrow]. So he’ll like, you know he’ll be like ‘Go hit that.’ And in my mind, I’ll be like ‘there’s no way I can,” to this her co-star Sam Worthington added: “I think he lost a lot of money, he lost a lot of money betting against Zoe.”
Saldana continued,
“Exactly, one time it was, I think it was 100 bucks. And then the second time it was like 50 bucks.”
Three forthcoming sequels of the Avatar franchise are in production, and their dates are yet to be finalized since the projects are facing substantial delays.
Avatar and its sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, are available for streaming on Disney+.
Source: Screen Rant
