Zoe Saldana reveals commitment of 26 years to James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ franchise

Zoe Saldana is going to keep her word with James Cameron, till the end.

The actress may be exploring new creative avenues with her role in the Oscar-nominated film Emilia Pérez, but she’s not leaving behind the blockbuster franchises that turned her into a household name.

During a recent chat with Deadline, the Avatar star reflected on her long-standing commitment to James Cameron’s sci-fi epic. 

And by “long-standing,” she means really, really long-standing.

Saldaña, now 46, revealed just how much of her career she’s dedicating to Pandora and the Na’vi.

“I think — if all goes to plan — I'm gonna be 53, 54 for the fifth and very last one,” she said, leaving Hammond momentarily speechless.

That means the actress will have spent a whopping 26 years in the Avatar universe, having first signed on when she was just 28. But don’t worry, she’ll still have time to squeeze in other projects between sequels.

Not that she’s complaining.

Saldaña described Pandora as “magical” and said revisiting her role as Neytiri is a “gift” because of how much the character has given her.

And given how Avatar continues to dominate the box office—raking in a jaw-dropping $2.92 billion worldwide so far—it’s safe to say that Cameron’s epic world is still as lucrative as ever.

So, while some actors might hesitate at a 26-year commitment, Saldaña seems more than happy to embrace the journey—even if it means she’ll be in her 50s by the time it wraps.