See the stats: Zoe Saldana’s staggering success

Actress Zoe Saldana is celebrating a big birthday! Saldana, who many hail as the queen of sci-fi films, turns 40 today, and we’re looking back at her incredible career, which includes being in some of the biggest blockbusters of all time. In fact, she’s the only actor in history to star in two films that made over $2 billion at the box office: Avengers: Infinity War and Avatar. Saldana played Gamora in the hugely successful Avengers: Infinity War. The movie has surpassed the $2 billion box office mark, shattering several records. It made history with a whopping $258.2 million in North American ticket sales in its opening weekend. We can’t forget about the highest-grossing movie of all time, Avatar. Saldana starred in the 2009 film and will reprise her role of Neytiri in four sequels. The first one is due out in 2020. Saldana, of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent, grew up in a bilingual home, speaking both English and Spanish. “I’m just as American as I am Latina,” she said. Saldana’s roots started in dancing, which helped her get her first movie role. At 22, she played the ballerina Eva in Center Stage. Two years later, she teamed up with Britney Spears and Shonda Rhimes for the fan favorite Crossroads. Saldana has more than 40 movies under her belt, including blockbuster franchises like Star Trek and Guardians of the Galaxy. She’s one of the top 50 highest-grossing actors. Her success has been recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Saldana, her husband, Marco Perego, and their three kids made an appearance during the special ceremony in May. “I feel so blessed … May this open more doors for latinx and all other under represented community,” Saldana wrote to her Instagram followers. The actress/producer also launched a digital media company that will focus on empowering Latinos. "Latinos are a growing community in America, but Latino stories have remained historically marginalized," said Saldana. "I'm so excited to be leading a truly uplifting brand that fills a niche for young audiences craving positive portrayals of the modern Latino experience in America.”