Zoe Saldana made her television debut in 1999 via two episodes of Law & Order. One year later she made her big-screen debut in the ballet drama Center Stage. In the 20 years since, the talented actress has appeared in some of the biggest blockbusters produced in Hollywood, including Pirates of the Caribbean, James Cameron's Avatar, J.J. Abrams's Star Trek, and several movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
While many of Saldana's movie roles feature a level of butt-kicking physicality, others are badass for entirely different reasons. With another dozen upcoming projects in various stages of production, Saldana is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Laila - Drumline (2002)
In Saldana's fifth feature film, Drumline, she uses her expert dance skills to play the ultra-fierce Laila, the alpha lead-dancer at the fictitious Atlanta A&T University. With brimming confidence and commanding stage presence, Laila is as badass a high-school student as they come.
Plot-wise, the film follows Devon Miles (Nick Cannon), a Harlem street drummer who joins a marching band for a Southern university and experiences sudden culture shock. To fit in, Devon begins courting the older and much cooler Laila, whom he also looks up to as the marching band leader.
Maria Posada - The Book Of Life (2014)
While it may seem counterintuitive to color a cartoon character as badass, there's no denying how skilled in kung-fu and sword fighting Maria Posada (Saldana) is in The Book of Life.
Moreover, the story reinforces Maria's rebellious nature and strong-willed determinism. She's shown freeing animals planned for slaughter, much to the dismay of her strict father. Maria is also brave enough to deny her father's desire for her to marry Joaquin (Channing Tatum) and follow her heart by wedding Manolo (Diego Luna) instead.
Flor - The Curse Of Father Cardona (2005)
Despite the negative ratings of the Dominican film The Curse of Father Cardona, Saldana impresses as the seductive devil incarnate who preys on a Catholic priest sent to investigate the strange happenings in a small town.
Upon arriving in a small Dominican village, Padre Geronimo (Anthony Alvarez) is soon seduced by Flor, an attractive young woman who he cannot resist. Over time, however, Flor reveals her true nature as an evil seductress who lords dominion over anyone who comes in contact with her.
Rosemary Woodhouse - Rosemary's Baby (2014)
In one of her rare television performances, Saldana starred in the iconic title role of Rosemary Woodhouse in NBC's two-part miniseries, Rosemary's Baby. Stepping into Mia Farrow's shoes from the celebrated horror classic, Saldana acquitted herself well.
What makes the character so badass is the way she overcomes her own victimhood and uses her own personal agency to figure out that her neighbors are satanic occultists hell-bent on sacrificing her newborn. In safely escaping the terror, Rosemary depends on herself and nobody else.
Nyota Uhura - Star Trek
By carrying the torch for one of the first Black characters portrayed on Star Trek, Saldana has ensured that Nyota Uhura is among her most badass roles thus far. With a vast intellect, Uhura's awesome stature comes from being a brilliant linguist, cryptographer, and philologist.
Without Lieutenant Uhura doing her job as the chief communications officer, the crew of USS Enterprise would not be able to function optimally. In addition to her superior intelligence, Saldana's depiction of Uhura also got in on the action several times, including facing off with Klingons in Star Trek Into Darkness.
Neytiri - Avatar
Due to the unique, never-before-seen ingenuity of the Na'vi, Neytiri ranks among Saldana's most badass movie roles to date. The majesty and mysticism of such a beautiful alien species are as awe-inspiring as her native planet Pandora is to look at.
As the daughter of the tribe leader, Neytiri is also intellectually superior to her romantic interest, Jake (Sam Worthington), giving her additional power that increases her status in the pecking order of the planet. Neytiri is also a skilled and resourceful warrior in her own right.
Aisha Al-Fadhil - The Losers
Based on the popular Vertigo Comic series of the same name, The Losers is an action-packed crime-thriller in which Saldana wields commanding power as Aisha, a mysterious Bolivian badass with ulterior motives.
The super-skilled combatant, recon, and weapons expert joins The Losers in their attempt to execute their archenemy, Max (Jason Patric). Able to handle herself better than her some of her male counterparts, Aisha's badass fighting skills are matched by her cool eyebrow piercing and take no-BS attitude.
Cataleya Restrepo - Colombiana
As an ice-cold professional assassin, Cataleya is Saldana's most badass non-comic book action role to date. The story begins with Cataleya witnessing her parent's brutal murder, which makes her want to grow up to become a hitwoman and exact ruthless revenge.
When Cataleya isn't assassinating her marks on behalf of her uncle, she wages a series of murders in her spare time in hopes of gaining access to a vicious mobster responsible for her parent's death. With breathless and bloody action and demanding physicality, Cataleya is badass to the bone.
Gamora - MCU
As Thanos's (Josh Brolin) daughter once described as the deadliest woman in the galaxy by the time she was a teenager, Gamora easily ranks among the top of Saldana's badass movie roles. She has played the role four times and counting.
As a skilled martial artist who was raised by Thanos to be his private assassin, Gamora has more tricks up her sleeve than depicted in the films so far. However, as the team's voice of reason, she often keeps her male counterparts from making dimwitted decisions, giving her a superior mixture of brains and brawn.
Nina Simone - Nina
Largely hailed as one of the most iconic female vocalists of all time, Saldana's portrayal as the iconic real-life singer, songwriter, and civil rights activist Nina Simone is her most impressive to date. Despite the controversy that led to Saldana apologizing for her portrayal, it's still her most badass role.
As an aspiring pianist, Simone overcame her impoverished upbringing, racial discrimination, and female subjugation to find ultimate success as one of the most celebrated jazz, soul, funk, and R&B musicians of all time. With a strong will and independent spirit, Nina Simone is the most heroic character Saldana has played.