Zoe Saldana for Fashion Magazine August 2014

On her marriage to artist Marco Perago after her break up with Bradley Cooper: “I was finally able to spend time without being in a relationship and even though, it was a short period of time, it was beautiful.  Where I lost that fear of being alone.  It was bliss. Then I met my partner when I was in really a beautiful place in my life.  It was like I found all my answers with him not in him.  I was finding my answers on my own.”

On what her role in the next Avatar will be like: “[Neytiri] is stronger than what I wanted this time, but she’s also very vulnerable. It’s very much her journey and I accepted the job again because I believe the script has her going in the right path. Jake and Neytiri are very much still a force to be reckoned with.”

On the best advice a woman can get: “It’s important to not have women be afraid of you, to accept your mortality and your aging so that you can be a better mentor for up and coming women. Whenever these young women come and they just want to take everything all at once, just because they’re younger and their asses are harder and plumper, you kind of go, ‘Child, sit down.  Yes, you’re beautiful but listen to these 1, 2, 3s.’ 1. Don’t hike up your skirt too much. 2. I’m pretty sure you’re intelligent so act like it. 3. Read a book.”

On playing Nina Simone in the upcoming biopic and being criticized for not having what it takes to portray the iconic singer: “I handled the role with the same love, the same respect and the same pride that any other black person would, because I am a black woman, a proud Latino black woman, and nobody’s going to take that right from me.”