Zoe Slater
Zoe Slater is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders . played by Michelle Ryan. She made her first appearance on 18 September 2000. After much speculation, Ryan decided to leave the role of Zoe, and departed on 24 June 2005.
Zoe arrives in Walford along with her family, presumed father Charlie (Derek Martin ), sisters Kat (Jessie Wallace ), Lynne (Elaine Lordan ) and Little Mo (Kacey Ainsworth ), and grandmother Mo (Laila Morse ). Although it is presumed that Charlie is Zoe's father, it is later found out that Kat was raped by her uncle Harry Slater (Michael Elphick ), making Kat her mother, and Charlie her uncle and grandfather. The revelation was nominated for 'Best Storyline' at the British Soap Awards as well as winning 'Best Single Episode' in 2002.
Another highly proclaimed storyline was Zoe's friendship with Kelly Taylor (Brooke Kinsella ). The two were compared to two former popular characters, who also shared a close screen friendship, Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer ) and Tiffany Mitchell (Martine McCutcheon ). In 2003, Zoe and Kelly made headlines in the UK, in a New Year's Eve episode that was filmed on-location in Scotland. In the storyline, Zoe, Kelly and others, travel from London to Scotland, but their minibus crashes, leaving them stranded and injured on the freezing cold Scottish moors. While stranded, Kelly cares for an injured Zoe, they become over-emotional, and kiss. The episode featuring their kiss attracted 9.5 million viewers, and the precise moment that they kissed was watched by 44% of the available viewing audience.
One of Zoe's last major storylines was when she became romantically involved with Dennis Rickman (Nigel Harman ). Zoe claims she is pregnant, as she fears she is losing Dennis, but when Zoe starts worrying that Dennis will find out she is lying, Den Watts (Leslie Grantham ) sleeps with Zoe, to get her pregnant, though Dennis sees them in bed together. Her final storyline was with Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman ) and Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf ) who plot to kill Den after hurting all three of them, in different ways. Zoe is thought to have killed Den, after the three confront him in the Queen Vic. but it is later found it that Chrissie killed him. Zoe leaves Walford for Ibiza after making amends with Kat.
Contents
Storylines [ edit ]
Zoe arrives in Walford with her family, presumed father Charlie (Derek Martin ), sisters Kat (Jessie Wallace ), Lynne (Elaine Lordan ) and Little Mo (Kacey Ainsworth ), and grandmother Mo (Laila Morse ), in September 2000. Over a year later, Zoe and Kat argue about Zoe's decision to move away from Walford to live with her uncle Harry Slater (Michael Elphick ). Kat tells Zoe she cannot go but Zoe walks out. Kat follows and blurts out that she is Zoe's real mother. She then explains that she fell pregnant at 13 after Harry raped her. Zoe is shell-shocked, and Kat slashes her wrists in despair. Zoe runs away, unable to take in all the recent revelations.
While away, Zoe contacts Little Mo, the only other member of the family who did not know about Zoe's parentage, who persuades Zoe to come home, but after another argument with Kat, Zoe leaves again. She ends up living on the streets where she is discovered sick and penniless by Roxy Drake (Tracy Brabin ), a pimp determined to recruit Zoe. Roxy provides Zoe with meals and cigarettes, finds her a flat and forces her to prostitute herself. Roxy and fellow prostitute Kelly Taylor (Brooke Kinsella ) dress and make-up Zoe, but she gets drunk and vomits on her client. Kat arrives the next day to take Zoe home, but Roxy tries to prevent her taking Zoe, so Kat headbutts her.
Zoe gets engaged to Anthony Trueman (Nicholas Bailey ), but leaves yet again, returning several months later, this time with Kelly in tow, and her engagement to Anthony is broken off. She briefly dates Dennis Rickman (Nigel Harman ), but he is secretly in love with his adopted sister Sharon Watts (Letitia Dean ), and they eventually reveal their relationship. Sharon and Dennis's father Den Watts (Leslie Grantham ) suggests that to keep Dennis, Zoe should claim she is pregnant, since Sharon is infertile. The plan works but Zoe worries Dennis will realise she is not pregnant, and he refuses to sleep with her. Den offers to sleep with her so she can get pregnant and pretend the baby is Dennis's. Dennis catches them in bed together and leaves, but not before telling Den's wife Chrissie Watts (Tracy-Ann Oberman ).
Chrissie persuades Zoe to abort the baby and tells her they should team up for revenge on Den. They get together with Sam Mitchell (Kim Medcalf ) to do this, meeting up in The Queen Victoria. Chrissie sends for Sharon claiming Den is on his deathbed. She finds out that it isn't true and leaves again. Chrissie planned this to get rid of Sharon so Den would pay attention to her and love her instead. Right after Sharon leaves, Den realizes Chrissie did this and attacks her smashing her head against the jukebox. Zoe stops him by attacking him with a metal doorstop, supposedly killing him. She runs off and Sam goes after her to calm her down. However, he is not dead, and he grabs Chrissie. She hits him again with the doorstop, killing him. Zoe is led to believe that she killed Den, though Sam sees Chrissie kill Den and eventually tells Zoe, who punches Chrissie. Zoe leaves for Ibiza after having an emotional goodbye from Kat while Chrissie is charged with Den's murder, and Sam goes on the run after.
Creation and characterisation [ edit ]
The character of Zoe and the rest of the Slater family were created during workshops with Tony Jordan and John Yorke. London actors were invited to improvise in groups, and the characters were created during these improvistations. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] Michelle Ryan was cast as Zoe, and made her first on-screen appearance on 18 September 2000. The family consisted of, grandmother Mo Harris (Laila Morse ), father Charlie (Derek Martin ), his five children, Lynne (Elaine Lordan ), Kat (Jessie Wallace ), Little Mo (Kacey Ainsworth ), Zoe (Ryan), Belinda (Leanne Lakey ), who was to be introduced to EastEnders at a later date, as well as Lynne's boyfriend Garry Hobbs (Ricky Groves ). [ 2 ] It later transpired that Kat was the mother of Zoe, after being raped by her uncle Harry Slater (Michael Elphick ).
According to the BBC's head of drama series, Mal Young. the family was brought in as the serial did not "have enough solid families in the soap, there were a lot of fractured families and people who were alone." Ryan was cast in the role of Zoe after the character was developed at an improvisation session for thirty actors and actresses earlier in the year. [ 2 ] He choose Lordan, Wallace, Ainsworth, Ryan and Lakey as the five sisters as they got on so well at the sessions. The actors performed a Nolan Sister 's routine at the session, which was "later included on EastEnders as part of one of the Queen Vic 's karaoke nights". [ 2 ] The character is described as bolshy, defiant and a vivacious teenager who makes an impression on the men of Walford. [ 3 ]
Development [ edit ]
In 2001, an upcoming storyline, involving Zoe and Kat, when Zoe asks if she can live with Harry. The News of the World reported that Kat would tell Zoe that she was actually her mother and that Harry had raped her when she was 13. An EastEnders source said, "Zoe thinks her mother is dead—but the truth is very different." [ 4 ] In 2002, a story where Zoe runs away with Anthony to get married in secret was announced. [ 5 ] That year, Ryan was rested from the soap on doctor's orders, by agreement from Louise Berridge. the executive producer, Ryan and her parents. Plans for character developments between Zoe and Anthony were delayed and plans for their on-screen marriage were pushed back, with the wedding storyline being re-written. [ 6 ] In September that year, Ryan said she would return and was looking forward to it, and Berridge said she was "delighted" and hoped viewers would look forward to Zoe being reunited with the rest of her family. [ 7 ]
Notable relationships [ edit ]
The friendship between Zoe and Kelly Taylor (Brooke Kinsella ) was a recurring storyline for both characters. In the British press, Kelly and Zoe were compared to two former popular characters, who also shared a close screen friendship, Bianca Jackson (Patsy Palmer ) and Tiffany Mitchell (Martine McCutcheon ). Kinsella has commented, "It is nice to be compared because they were great [characters] but, hopefully, [Michelle Ryan] and I will bring our own characters to light and show what we can do. We have so much in common and we balance each other out – when she's crazy I'll calm her down and vice-versa. It's worked well, which is why Kelly has been kept on, which is great for me but also for Michelle because she's got somebody to have fun with. Kelly's been one of the slowest developing characters and that's been good for me. I wasn't thrown into it and having Michelle has been great for me." [ 8 ]
In December 2003, EastEnders made headlines in the UK press after they screened a kiss between Kelly and Zoe. [ 9 ] The storyline was featured in a New Year's Eve episode that was filmed on-location in Scotland. [ 10 ] In the storyline, a group of teenagers travel from London to Scotland for New Year's Eve, but their minibus crashes, leaving them stranded and injured on the freezing cold Scottish moors. [ 11 ] While stranded, Kelly cares for an injured Zoe, they become over-emotional, and kiss. Kinsella explained the reasons behind the kiss: "They're stuck in the hills, thinking they're going to die—it's a way of saying goodbye and also of showing how much they love each other as friends. Which is quite sweet really." [ 12 ] She claimed that the kiss was made easier due to the fact that she was kissing her off-screen best friend: "That made it so much easier. We thought we were just going to be laughing and giggling the whole way through, but we were very professional. It was so cold that we just wanted to get it over with. We were shaking from cold—not from nerves—and it was raining, so we just thought, 'Let's do it and get it done with'. [. ] We laugh about it now. When it came down to it, the truth was that it was just like any other screen kiss. [ 12 ] The episode featuring their kiss attracted 9.5 million viewers, and the precise moment that they kissed was watched by 44% of the available viewing audience. [ 13 ]
Dennis Rickman and Den Watts [ edit ]
In September 2004, a Christmas storyline created by Berridge that was to show Zoe fall pregnant with Dennis Rickman 's (Nigel Harman ) baby was axed by Berridge's successor, Kathleen Hutchison. [ 14 ] Instead, Zoe was to be seduced by Dennis's father, Den (Leslie Grantham ). An EastEnders insider revealed: "Dirty Den lives up to his name by seducing Zoe. He makes his move when she comments how handsome he looks for his age. But they are caught in the act by Dennis who is shocked and disgusted to see his dad snogging his girlfriend." [ 15 ] Hutchison decided that Den would be killed off in a storyline involving three people plotting to kill him. [ 16 ] The storyline saw Zoe, Chrissie and Sam plot his death, and a source said, "The three girls team up after deciding they have to get rid of Den but viewers will be left wondering who the actual killer is. They plot and scheme to give themselves alibis and exact their revenge for what Den has done to them." [ 17 ]
Related Questions
My boyfriend and I live on opposites sides of the world. We have joked about phone sex, but I am really shy, so I don't know how to approach it. How would I initiate it over the phone?
Dear Reader,
Phone sex is no laughing matter to many couples who, for job, school, military, and/or other reasons, can't be intimate in person. Tele-fooling around can be a relationship-saver, and gives new meaning to the term "hotline." That said, satellite sex, even for partners who frequently partake, is often difficult for even the most adventurous to initiate at first — and often gets easier with practice. This makes sense since sex usually involves at least two people touching each other in some way: hugging, kissing, caressing, inserting, receiving, and so on. Then there's the eye contact, absent during phone sex unless you've experimented with video chat. Plus most phone use is nonsexual. No wonder you feel shy about pushing your boyfriend's buttons.
If you think about it, though, the two of you have already placed the phone sex call by joking about it, which at least raised the possibility of doing it. Maybe you could stay on that line with something like, "Hey Buttercup, remember our phone sex idea. Well. " How ever either of you bring it up, it might help to close your eyes and imagine that the other is right there next to you. Turn off the lights, put on some sexy music. create an environment that sets the mood, which could even mean getting naked. And while you're both at it, you could also prep for the call by getting in touch with yourself as if you were starting to masturbate. A little phone foreplay might make it feel more natural to start the sexual connection on the phone because it would really be a continuation of what's already begun.
Now that you're in the mood, here are some words that might ring your boyfriend's bell, and keep him on the line for a long time:
"Operator, I need some assistance."
"What are you wearing. or not wearing?"
"Your voice makes me __________."
"I love when you put your __________ on/in my __________. "
"The next time I see you, I'm going to __________."
"Is that a phone in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"
You could also forgo some of the spontaneity by making a phone sex date so that both of you know the general plan, and might think ahead of time about what you can do when you answer or make the call(s).
Hope these suggestions help! Gotta go now, something's vibrating.
View the Mara Jaffray Gallery
About
Mara is very smart and academic and is known as " the good girl ." Despite not enjoying sports, she grew up with sports her entire life as both her parents were athletes. Mara used to room with Amber Millington. until they got into a fight about Mick, so she now rooms with Patricia Williamson and Joy Mercer. She used to be best friends with Amber, but they fought when Amber found out about Mara's crush on Mick - who is her boyfriend. Amber gets jealous and runs for school representative against Mara to try to get back at her for stealing Mick from her. She fails in doing so, losing to Mara after Mick rigs the election in Mara's favor. Mara doesn't think Amber and Mick have anything in common, but she doesn't have anything in common with him, either. The two girls have made up after the Mick situation, but are not as close as they were before. Jerome seems to have a crush on her once Mick leaves, as he helps her with her campaign for school representative. After Mick comes back, Mara starts to ignore Jerome and starts to hang out with Mick again. Jerome then indirectly starts to try and split them up. She is also friends with Nina Martin and thinks it is wrong that Patricia made Nina do the initiation. In House of Enemies / House of Surprise. Mara gets a dog named Letdown. She is shown to have very good grades when it comes to chemistry and French and all of the subjects. Mick, however, is not good at anything but sports so Mara tutors him. She once cheated on a French test for him to make sure he doesn't fail. Mara isn't really good at distracting teachers, as shown when Patricia wanted her to keep a look out for any teachers, so she could get Joy's home telephone number. The best distraction she could come up with to distract Mr. Sweet from entering his office was talking about endangered hedgehogs. Mara can often be a bit self-centered.
Relationships
Mick Campbell
(Unknown-present; Ex-Boyfriend, Friend)
Mara, in the first episode, denied she ever liked Mick because she didn't want to hurt Amber or make her jealous as Mick was Amber's boyfriend. She helped Mick study for biology because he was failing the class. She wanted him to have good grades. He also gave her a special thank you bracelet that he gave to Amber as well which began Mara and Amber's rivalry. Amber was very annoyed when she spotted Mara flirting with Mick so Amber asked Patrcia if they could switch rooms so they weren't roommates anymore. Mick was very shy around Mara. Mara also helped Mick with his training after school, and they kissed. Then Mick said that, "Mara was books and he was sports," and, "They don't match," which Mara
overheard. Because of this, she changed her look and became a rebel. He didn't like it and she changed back. They became a couple. She once cheated on a French test for him. After Mick rigged the votes for school elections so Mara would win, she found out and broke up with him. He left for a sports scholarship but returned and they got back together. In season two he gets an offer for a sports camp in Australia and decides not to go so he can stay with Mara. She makes him leave by making him break up with her, but he says he loves her new geeky look. They kiss and he leaves for Australia after promising not to forget her. After hearing that Mick has a new girlfriend, Mara fakes a relationship with Jerome. Mick finds out about their relationship via Mara's profile page where she changed her relationship status and put up pictures of her "fun, amazing, romantic dates" with Jerome. They broke up in House of Pretenders / House of Trouble when Mara was crushing on Jerome and stopped dating Mick. (See Mickra )
Jerome Clarke
(Unknown-present; Ex Boyfriend, Friends)
Despite her old relationship with Mick, it is revealed that she has another admirer in Anubis House - Jerome; about halfway through the first season it is revealed that Jerome has strong feelings for Mara. Jerome asked her out once but she turned him down due to not having solved "the whole Mick equation." Jerome is always making Mara laugh. She also thinks of him as a baffoon and that some of his humor is childish. When Jerome finds out that Mara has a crush on Mick and that she cheated the test for Mick, he blackmails her into doing his chores, but lately they have been spending a lot of time together. She even got him to open up to her. Jerome volunteered her to be school representative and helped her with her campaign, but then turned her down when Mick came back from California. He decided to cheer on Amber out of spite when Mara forgave Mick. He attempted to break them up by telling Mara that Mick rigged the election for her, and blackmailing her so he wouldn't tell Mick that she cheated on a test for him. In recent episodes, they are seen spending more and more time together. In House of Status / House of Laments Mara discovers that Mick has a new girlfriend and decides to make him jealous by fake-dating Jerome. They spent the whole day together taking fake-date photos and even kissed twice. In House of Pretenders/ House of Trouble it is revealed that she has a crush on Jerome and Mara and Jerome could have gotten together if Rufus didn't kidnap Jerome. In the Season 2 finale Jerome and Mara become an item.
In season 3, they are were together, and quite happily. It appears that they spent a majority of the summer together and had a brilliant time. However, Mara had broken up with him when she found out he was also dating Willow at the same time. In order to get back at Jerome, Mara and Willow planned a revenge plot. She said that Joy would appeal to Jerome, they would go on a date, and then Joy would dump Jerome. Mara was also visibly upset when she found out that Joy was crushing on Jerome. Eventually she accepted the relationship, but threatened Jerome, saying that if he ever hurt Joy, she'd hurt him as any friend would (See Jara )
Alfie Lewis
(Unknown-present;Close Friend)
Nina Martin
Mara was the second nicest person to Nina, other than Fabian, when Nina moved in. She suggests that they act nice to her because she is new. They did not interact much in the first season. In Season 2, Mara and Mick offer to go on a double date with Nina and Fabian, not Amber and Alfie, and they want to but can't. Nina offers to talk to Mara because she couldn't find Patricia. Mara was about to talk about her problems with Mick - because that's what she was upset about - but she saw Amber and thought better of it. Nina says that she 'can't believe Mara got expelled' when she was in class. Nina is one of the people who was waiting outside of Mr Sweet's office to see whether or not Mara was expelled. Nina does not hang around with Mara very much because of Sibuna, but they are never rude to each other, and are always kind to one another. In House of Arrivals / House of Presents. Mara gets worried when she hears that Nina won't return to Anubis House just like everyone else. (See Nara )
Amber Millington
(Unknown-present; Good Friend)
Amber was Mara's roommate in the first and second episodes, and they started out as best friends. Mara always had a crush on Amber's boyfriend, Mick, but hid it because Amber was her best friend. However, Mara's affection for Mick led her and Amber's friendship to go downhill. It all started with an innocent question and rising suspicions. Quickly solved at first with a simple denial, the situation became much more complicated when Amber started to feel jealous of Mick and Mara spending time together, even if it was just over biology homework. Things really spiraled downhill when Amber overheard Mara telling Patricia that she liked Mick. Afterwards, Amber and Mara got into an argument, and Amber offered to switch rooms with Patricia?- benifiting them both. From then on, Amber and Mara avoided each other whenever possible, but as the show progressed, they learn to become good friends once again. After the elections are over, it is implied that Amber and Mara have smoothed over their difference because they were on the path to becoming friends again; this might have been facilitated by the fact that Amber seemed to be developing feelings for Alfie, who is crushing on her, and they don't need to fight over Mick any more. In season 3, when Mara arrives at the house, Amber is very pleased to see her. Mara and Amber decide to share a room together and Mara comes up with the idea to surprise Amber for her birthday, and helps to organise everything. Their friendship appears to be stronger than ever. In House of Pi / House of Mistrust. Mara worries about where Amber is when Patricia says she is sick. In House of Trickery / House of Unity. Mara gets worried when she hears that Amber left for fashion school. (See Amara )
Fabian Rutter
(Unknown-present; Friend; Kissed)
Fabian is a friend of Mara's, but they don't really talk much throughout the show. They decide to mutually be nice to Nina when she first arrives despite everyone else refusing to welcome her. They are the two nicest people in the House. In Season 2, Fabian is grateful that Mara decided to help him experiment with the potions, and he was even happier she didn't ask any questions about it. It is revealed that Mara is somewhat smarter than Fabian, because she knew how to analyze the potion, and he didn't. They should get nothing but closer together, having very similar personalities. In Season 1, where Mara becomes a "bad girl" and doesn't hand in her homework, Fabian is the most surprised, mouthing "Oh my gosh!". In Season 2, Fabian stands up for Mara when Mr Sweet wants to expel her, saying 'You can't expel Mara, she's done more for this school then all of us put together' which means he does think of her as a good friend, even though they do not talk very often. In the Season 3 finale. they were seen flirting with each other because they both knew the first five digits of Pi and Fabian gave her hot chocolate. Because of this, it is possible that they might like each other. They might have developed a relationship in The Touchstone of Ra because Mara and Fabian kissed. (See Mabian )
Patricia Williamson
(Unknown-present; Close Friend)
Patricia is Mara's new roommate after Mara and Nina switch rooms because Mara falls out with Amber. She helps Patricia get over Joy's disappearance. They not only hang around a lot but she acts as a look out when Patricia looks for Joy's home phone number. They talk often. Mara tells Patricia, and only her, about her crush on Mick. Patricia then only tells Mara about her meetings with Rufus. During Joy's disappearance, and before Patricia accepted Nina, they acted like best friends. In Season 2 they helped each other deal with each other's respective relationships. Patricia got jealous of Mara and Eddie, but they are on good terms by the end of the season. In Season 3, They formed the Anubis Sisterhood. with Joy. They are currently roommates. (See Matricia )
Joy Mercer
(Unknown-present; Best Friend)
Joy is Mara's other roommate. Mara seemed sad when Sibuna lied and told her that Joy hated all of them. Joy also comforted Mara when Mick left to Australia. They competed for the editor of the school's website. They sign up together. Joy can often be a little mean to Mara, but it is nothing that is meant to be hurtful. When Mara gets the position of editor, Joy mocks her a little bit, just because she wanted the job of editor for herself. Joy feels bad for Mara when they find out that Mick has a girlfriend from Australia. Joy tries to explain to Mara, when Mara is getting ready to research Vera, by saying "People aren't like sums Mara, they don't always have to add up" but Mara doesn't listen to her. Joy feels bad when Mara is expelled, and sits next to her and tries to comfort her when she is crying. Joy is mostly kind to Mara, and they act like very close friends, although Joy doesn't talk to Mara much about her feelings for Fabian. In House of Rainbows. Joy agreed to do Mara and Willow's revenge plan on Jerome. She also agreed to watch Mara's dog Letdown. After appealing to Jerome, Jerome decided to ask Joy out on a date in House of Surprise. Joy told Jerome that he could accompany her to washing Letdown. In House of Heartbreaks, Mara finds out that Joy actually fell for Jerome, and the two girls start fighting. Later, though, Mara and Joy make up to help Willow deal with getting dumped by Alfie, and Mara helps Joy get back with Jerome. (See May )
Eddie Miller
( 2012-present; Good Friend)
Eddie and Mara do not have crushes on each other, but when he was trying to make Patricia jealous Eddie hugged Mara. Mara and Eddie also work on the school's new site together, and while Eddie is reviewing footage for a story, he sees Senkhara. He then takes the footage to Mara, and they begin to work together to solve the ghost mystery. During the ghost hunt she asks Eddie if he thinks that Patricia exposed his secret on purpose. Mara says Patricia would never do that, hinting that she might be a Peddie Shipper. (See Meddie )
Holly Willoughby Gives Birth To A Baby Boy!
Holly Willoughby has annulled on Twitter that she has given birth to a baby boy.
The TV presenter broke the news late Monday night to her over 4 million followers along with announcing the name that herself and her husband Daniel Baldwin decided to call the new born Chester William Baldwin .
Taking to her Twitter account Holly said:
I’m sooo happy to tell you all – we’ve just had a baby boy! Chester William Baldwin made a grand entrance at 8lbs 12. He’s just perfect. X
Holly has only left her day job hosting ITV’s This Morning a week ago as she has been replaced for a year by Amanda Holden .
Hearing the news Holly’s co-host Phillip Schofield took to Twitter as she said:
Had a lovely phone call from @hollywills tonight. Congratulations gorgeous and welcome Chester William Baldwin …. 8lbs 12 blimey!
Zoe Saldana
Contents
Early life [ edit ]
Saldana was born Zoe Yadira Saldana Nazario [ 1 ] in Passaic, New Jersey. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] Her father, Aridio Saldana, was from the Dominican Republic, while her mother, Asalia Nazario, is from Puerto Rico. She also has Haitian and Lebanese roots. [ 4 ] She has often spoken of her pride in being from a Latin culture. [ 5 ] Her first languages are English and Spanish. She spent the majority of her early childhood growing up in Jackson Heights. Queens, New York. She has two sisters, named Cisely and Mariel, and a half-brother named Nipo, known as "Nipo 809", who is a Dominican artist and producer. [ 6 ] Her father died in a car accident when she was nine years old, [ 7 ] and Saldana and her mother subsequently moved to the Dominican Republic. There, Saldana discovered her love of dance and soon enrolled in the ECOS Espacio de Danza Academy; she studied various forms of dance [ 2 ] [ 8 ] [ 9 ] [ 6 ] but describes ballet as her first passion. [ 10 ] [ 6 ] She told Vanity Fair that she quit ballet because she did not have the feet and had too much pride and ambition to just be in the corps de ballet. [ 10 ] The family returned to New York City after her sophomore year in high school. [ 10 ]
In 1995, she began performing with the FACES theater group in Brooklyn. [ 11 ] which put on plays geared toward providing positive messages for teens via themes dealing with issues such as substance abuse and adolescent sexuality. Concurrently, she performed with the New York Youth Theater; her appearance in their production of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat led a talent agency to recruit her. Her previous dance training, and her acting experience, helped her land her first film role, playing Eva Rodriguez, the talented and headstrong ballet student in the film Center Stage (2000). [ 2 ] [ 8 ]
Career [ edit ]
Saldana was still a member of FACES when she gained exposure in an episode of Law & Order (titled "Merger") which first aired in 1999. [ 12 ] Saldana's first film role was in Center Stage (2000), directed by Nicholas Hytner. about a group of young dancers from various backgrounds who enroll at the fictitious American Ballet Academy in New York City. She left school after Center Stage . subsequently appearing in the Britney Spears vehicle Crossroads (2002) and the comedy-drama Drumline (2002). In Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), she played Anamaria. a female pirate who signs up to join Will Turner and Mr. Gibbs for a chance to confront Jack Sparrow for stealing her ship. Saldana appeared in three films in 2004, including The Terminal . Haven and Temptation . She appeared in Constellation . Guess Who with Ashton Kutcher and Dirty Deeds in 2005 and in Premium in 2006.
Saldana appeared in two high-profile roles in 2009: Nyota Uhura in the film reboot Star Trek . [ 13 ] and the alien huntress Neytiri in James Cameron 's Avatar . both of which raised her profile considerably. [ 8 ] Coincidentally, it was Steven Spielberg who taught her the Vulcan salute five years earlier when he directed her in The Terminal . in which her character was a Trekkie. [ 14 ]
Saldana reprised her role in Star Trek Into Darkness . the sequel to the 2009 reboot which was released in May 2013 and played Gamora in the film Guardians of the Galaxy (2014), [ 17 ] [ 18 ] and will reprise her role of Neytiri in Avatar 2 in 2015. [ 19 ] In May 2014, she starred in a television miniseries adaptation of Rosemary's Baby .
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