Biografie

Had done an intense nonstop six-month preparation for Avatar - Aufbruch nach Pandora (2009) including martial arts, archery and horseback riding.

Her favorite teen movie while growing up was Ist sie nicht Wunderbar (1987).

Likes to play strong female characters. And said in an interview with a Danish film-site that she was really looking forward to evolving her character Nyota Uhura into a stronger, kick-ass lady in future Star Trek (2009) sequels.

Revealed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2003) that she is often mistaken for Thandiwe Newton. Even her own mother once mistook the two of them.

Has three sons with her husband Marco Perego: twins Cy Aridio Perego-Saldana and Bowie Ezio Perego-Saldana (b. 11/27/14 in Los Angeles). They are named after artist Cy Twombly and singer David Bowie; and Zen Perego-Saldana (b. 12/12/16).

When I go to the D.R., the press in Santo Domingo always asks, "¿Qué te consideras, dominicana o americana?" ("What do you consider yourself, Dominican or American?") I don't understand it, and it's the same people asking the same question. So I say, time and time again, "Yo soy una mujer negra." ("I am a black woman.") [They go] "Oh, no, tú eres trigueñita." ("Oh no, you are 'dark skinned'") I'm like, "No! Let's get it straight, yo soy una mujer negra." ("I am a black woman.")

I am actually! I'm very proud to say I am a geek. But I'm kind of a cool geek. I grew up in a very sci-fi home so I've seen a lot of sci-fi movies, from Der Wüstenplanet (1984) to Alien: Das unheimliche Wesen aus einer fremden Welt (1979), 2001 - Odyssee im Weltraum (1968), E.T. - Der Außerirdische (1982), Das Wunder in der 8. Straße (1987)... All these films I go crazy for. But never "Star Trek".

I tend to be very picky, so I look for the perfect man! So if Spock and Kirk can mix, they would become my perfect man. That's the kind of guy I'd go for. I don't only go for muscles, I don't only go for brains. You just need to have a little bit of a bad boy and a geek and then you've got the perfect guy.

[on auditioning for Avatar - Aufbruch nach Pandora (2009)] I was still living in New York at the time, and I heard that James Cameron was getting ready to shoot a movie. At first, I thought it was going to be that Japanese franchise that he owns; I read for that and it disappeared. Then, like a month later, they want to put me back on tape... the script excerpts used for auditions were about this girl from a tribe in the jungle and I was like, this is weird. But I put myself on tape again and, a month later, around July 2006, they called me and told me that in a week, I was going to L.A. to meet James Cameron. I remember being very nervous, but he was just such a polite and approachable person. It felt like a meeting where we were getting to know each other, as opposed to an audition, where I have to put my act on.

[on the current landscape of quality roles for actresses] They're out there - people just aren't investing in them. We can sit here forever discussing it, because it has a chicken vs. the egg quality. Bottom line, producers are business people. Hollywood is a moneymaking machine. At the end of the day, they have to produce numbers that will help them keep their jobs and companies alive. But we as consumers have a lot more power than we think. Women need to demand better roles and get audiences to see their films. Because if a film doesn't make $150 million, producers and studios aren't going to bankroll a similar film next time. If there were more filmmakers that were female, trust me, it would be all about women.