Zoe Saldana: Avatar Motion Capture Is 'Most Empowering Form of Acting'
In an interview with Beyond Noise, Zoe Saldana revealed that James Cameron is considering a documentary about the making of the Avatar movies, which she believes will finally give credit to performance capture as the most empowering form of acting. Saldana, a long-time champion of motion capture acting, emphasized its transformative power, allowing actors to fully own their on-screen performances.
She explained that motion capture acting involves actors wearing a unitard with dots on their faces, stepping into a volume set with cameras, and lending their voices to bring characters to life. Saldana plays Neytiri in the Avatar films, including Avatar (2009), Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), and the upcoming Avatar: Fire and Ash. Cameron plans to make two more Avatar movies, with a seven-year gap between each film.
Saldana criticized the Oscars for consistently snubbing motion capture performances, despite the success of Andy Serkis' work in The Lord of Rings and Planet of the Apes. She expressed frustration over being overlooked and minimized, despite giving 120% of herself to her roles. Cameron also defended Saldana's work, praising her ability to seamlessly transition from regal to feral in two nanoseconds, comparing her to a ferocious lioness.
The Avatar: Fire and Ash film, produced by Disney and 20th Century Studios, is set to release in theaters on December 19th.
