Zoë Saldaña’s standout screen work ranges from early dance dramas to science-fiction franchises, intimate relationship stories and a spy thriller. This ranking weighs the importance of each role, Saldaña’s performance, a title’s place in her career and how distinctly it shows another side of her work. It is an editorial selection, not a published critics’ consensus.
The 13 best Zoë Saldaña movies and TV shows
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Avatar (2009)
Saldaña’s Neytiri is the emotional center of James Cameron’s science-fiction adventure and one of the defining roles of her career. The film is the strongest starting point for seeing how she brings physicality and feeling to a large-scale franchise performance. Apple’s filmography lists her role as Neytiri.
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Emilia Pérez (2024)
Saldaña plays lawyer Rita Mora Castro in this dramatic musical crime film, a marked departure from her familiar franchise roles. The performance earned her the 2025 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. The Academy’s 2025 awards record confirms the win.
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Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
As Gamora, Saldaña joined the Marvel universe in a space adventure that introduced the character to the franchise’s ensemble. It is an essential pick for viewers who know her as Neytiri or Uhura but have not seen her play a formidable fighter with a different tone and comic setting. The Golden Globes’ career page lists the film among her credits.
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Star Trek (2009)
Saldaña plays Nyota Uhura in J.J. Abrams’s reboot, bringing a familiar science-fiction character into a new film series. The role makes this a natural choice for viewers interested in her other major franchise performances, while the film’s ensemble and reimagined origin story give it a different feel from Avatar.
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From Scratch (2022)
In this Netflix limited series, Saldaña stars in a story inspired by Tembi Locke’s memoir. Its focus on love, family and grief offers a more intimate, extended look at her work than a franchise film can. Readers who want to explore the story’s real-life source can also seek out Locke’s book, From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home. The Golden Globes’ career page notes the memoir connection.
Rank #2
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Lioness (2023– )
Saldaña leads this contemporary spy thriller, a television role that puts her at the center of an ongoing story rather than a single feature. It is the pick for viewers who want suspense and a sustained character arc. The series is associated with Paramount+; Paramount+’s show listings provide current service information. Availability can vary by country and change over time.
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Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
Saldaña returns as Neytiri in the continuation of the Avatar story. It belongs high on this list for viewers who want more of the character after the original film, though its story and world are best approached after watching Avatar.
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Out of the Furnace (2013)
This crime drama offers a useful counterpoint to Saldaña’s science-fiction work. It is a more grounded, serious entry among her notable non-franchise credits, making it a worthwhile choice for viewers seeking a different genre and scale.
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Infinitely Polar Bear (2014)
In this smaller-scale drama, Saldaña steps away from the action and spectacle associated with her best-known franchises. It is a good pick when you want a more intimate film and a quieter contrast to her blockbuster roles.
Rank #4
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Center Stage (2000)
One of Saldaña’s early film roles, Center Stage draws on the world of dance and offers a glimpse of her screen work before her defining franchise parts. It is the choice for viewers curious about the beginning of her film career. Biography.com’s profile covers her background and career.
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Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)
Saldaña returns as Gamora in a later chapter of the Guardians films. This entry is most rewarding after the earlier films, as it carries forward the character’s place in the series and serves as a meaningful endpoint for this phase of Gamora’s story.
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The Adam Project (2022)
This science-fiction adventure broadens the selection beyond Saldaña’s most prominent franchises. Choose it for a standalone film rather than the next installment in an ongoing series.
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Star Trek Beyond (2016)
Saldaña reprises Uhura in the third film of the reboot series. It is a good follow-up for viewers who want more of her take on the character, though it works best as part of the Star Trek films rather than as an introduction.
Which Zoë Saldaña title should you watch first?
Choose by the kind of screen story you want: start with Avatar for Neytiri and large-scale science fiction, Emilia Pérez for her award-winning dramatic performance, or From Scratch for an intimate limited series. For other sides of her career, try Center Stage for early dance-related work, Out of the Furnace for crime drama, or Lioness for a contemporary spy thriller.
Saldaña’s best-known characters—Neytiri, Uhura and Gamora—each anchor a continuing franchise. The titles outside those series matter too: they show the range of genres and formats surrounding those signature roles. The order below the top selections is especially subjective; the best entry point depends on whether you want a standalone film, a continuing series or a different kind of performance.
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