Zoe Saldaña Deserved an Oscar Nod for Her Role in One of the Biggest Films Ever
With big events like the Oscars and BAFTAs still to come, this year’s awards season has already been extremely competitive. Audiences have appreciated outstanding films and performances from both established actors and up-and-coming talent across all genres. One notable achievement is ‘Emilia Pérez’, who shared the Golden Globes with Zoe Saldaña for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical or Comedy and Best Musical or Comedy. Although the Oscar nominations have not yet been revealed, Saldaña is anticipated to receive numerous nominations for the musical thriller and be a strong candidate for Best Supporting Actress.
In ‘Emilia Pérez’, Saldaña portrays Rita Mora Castro, a lawyer who fulfils a lifetime ambition by assisting a cartel boss (played by Karla Sofía Gascón) in changing into a woman in order to flee their former life. Unlike her work in popular series like ‘Avatar’ and ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’, this job represents a return to Saldaña’s early career beginnings in more grounded storytelling. Her work in ‘Avatar’, one of the greatest films ever made, was mainly disregarded, even though her performance in ‘Emilia Pérez’ is finally receiving praise.
Image Courtesy: Collider
In James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’, Saldaña’s portrayal of Neytiri introduced viewers to the customs and culture of the Omaticaya clan. Her portrayal gave a character that led viewers through Pandora’s Wonders, nuance and relatability. Although the original movie broke box office records and made $2.9 billion globally, major awards did not recognize her acting.
Thirteen years later, Neytiri’s persona changes in ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’, becoming a protective mother to her family. Even though she has less screen time than in the original, Saldaña steals the show in the sequences she does appear in, displaying a wide range of emotions that serve as the foundation for the most powerful parts of the movie. Her portrayal of sadness and resiliency in the final act is especially remarkable, demonstrating that performances deserving of major accolades can be found in popular movies.
Image Courtesy: Collider
Saldaña’s use of sophisticated computer-generated imagery to depict the Na’vi is impressive in its ability to portray such genuine emotion. Her performance creates a strong bond with listeners that goes beyond technology. The technical accomplishments of the ‘Avatar’ series have garnered praise, but the acting, particularly Saldaña’s, has not gotten the credit it merits. Despite their popularity, science fiction and fantasy movies are sometimes disregarded by major awards in categories that honour individual acting prowess.
In a recent interview with The Independent, Saldaña discussed how her work has not received enough credit. She was frustrated, stating that it’s normal to not win or receive a nomination, but it’s depressing to be totally ignored. Now that motion capture is a common practice in contemporary filmmaking, it’s time for award ceremonies to recognize performances that are on par with live-action parts. Saldaña deserves far more recognition from the industry for his work in ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’, which is a tribute to the emotional depth and beauty possible in motion capture.
–Farheen Ali
