Zoe Saldaña details overcoming personal struggles including the death of her father, bullying and living with ADHD and dyslexia as she rises to the top after Emilia Perez Golden Globe win
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Zoe Saldaña has spoken candidly about some of the tragedies and struggles she has faced before making it in Hollywood and her recent Golden Globes win.
The actress, 46, who was awarded Best Supporting Actress for Emilia Pérez, opened up in the Harper's Bazaar February issue about her difficult upbringing.
Zoe - who grew up in New York - spoke about the profound impact losing her father in a car accident had on her when she was just nine years old.
Discussing the rippling effect his death took on her life, Zoe recalled going into 'survival mode' as her mother battled a deep depression.
She said: 'We dropped all those little pleasures of life that you do in a day that compel you to calm down. I remember my mom used to wear red lipstick, and she used to walk around in little tight shorts and tight jeans...
'And she always looked pretty and was always flirting with my dad, and the moment he passed away, she wouldn't get out of bed for more than a couple of hours.'
Zoe Saldaña has spoken candidly about some of the tragedies and struggles she has faced before making it in Hollywood and her recent Golden Globes win
The actress, 46, who was awarded Best Actress for her part in Emilia Pérez, opened up in the Harper's Bazaar February issue about her difficult upbringing
The cover image of the magazine sees Zoe lying on the group wearing a sexy see-through mini dress with a red ruffle neckline and cuffs
Following his passing, Zoe's mother Asalia Nazario sent her and her two sisters to live with family in the Dominican Republic while she stayed and worked in the U.S.
Zoe explained how after they moved they didn't fit in with the other children at school and she was bullied for not being like them.
'You can't speak English; you have to speak only Spanish. You can't code-switch. And then you get bullied because kids don't understand you.
'And we weren't little victims. We pushed back, but then they pushed harder, because they all understood each other.'
As well as struggling to communicate with the other children, Zoe was also left feeling 'sad and isolated' due to growing up with ADHD and dyslexia.
She explained: 'I was always off. When you have a child that has ADHD and is dyslexic and has a lot of energy and doesn't sit still and is unable to listen, you think that it's on purpose.
'I just remember asking myself, "Why don't I fit in? Why do I do this?" It would make me really sad, and it would make me feel really isolated.'
In the interview, Zoe - who grew up in New York - spoke about the profound impact losing her father in a car accident had on her when she was just nine years old
Discussing the rippling effect his death took on her life, Zoe recalled going into 'survival mode' as her mother battled a deep depression
Zoe revealed that the people who have 'saved her' along the way have been powerful women, some of whom have mentored her
Zoe pictured with her mother Asalia Nazario, who worked in the U.S. to support her while Zoe and her sisters moved to the Dominican Republic
Zoe revealed that the people who have 'saved her' along the way have been powerful women, some of whom have mentored her.
She said: 'My life has always been saved, over and over again, by people who have taken me in, by guiding me, raising me, and educating me.'
Alongside the interview, Zoe posed for a series of incredibly striking shots, including a selection in a sheer nude netted top.
The cover image of the magazine sees Zoe lying on the group wearing a sexy see-through mini dress with a red ruffle neckline and cuffs.
In another look she wore a tan net maxi dress, which featured a keyhole section across her chest and a slit up the leg.
The interview and shoot comes hot off Zoe's Globes win, where she led Emilia Perez to top honors.
Zoe earned Best Supporting Actress - Musical or Comedy early in the night before the Netflix film earned top prize Best Film - Musical or Comedy.
Following his passing, Zoe's mother Asalia Nazario sent her and her two sisters to live with family in the Dominican Republic while she stayed and worked in the U.S
Zoe explained how after they moved they didn't fit in with the other children at school and she was bullied for not being like them
In Emilia Perez, Zoe plays Rita Mora Castro who is a lawyer as the film is centered around four remarkable women pursuing their individual happiness in Mexico
Emilia Perez earned the most awards on the night with four but truly had it's crowning moment at the end of the night as the film earned Best Film - Musical or Comedy over Anora, Challengers, A Real Pain, The Substance, and Wicked.
In Emilia Perez, Zoe plays Rita Mora Castro who is a lawyer as the film is centered around four remarkable women pursuing their individual happiness in Mexico.
Cartel leader Emilia (played by Karla Sofia Gascon) enlists Rita, an unappreciated lawyer, to help fake her death so that she can finally live authentically as her true self.
Read more in Harper's BAZAAR February 2025 issue
