In her acceptance speech for Emilia Pérez, Zoe Saldaña announced she was “the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award.” She giddily praised the movie for helping her connect with her Latino roots. 

At the post-award interview however, Saldaña only barely apologized for the movie’s worrisome depiction of Mexican issues. 

“I’m very sorry that many Mexicans felt offended,” she said. If that wasn’t enough, she added that she did not share the opinion that “the heart of the movie” was Mexican, a far cry from when she labeled Emilia Perez “a love letter to Mexico.”

For years, Zoe Saldaña’s ethnic ambiguity has awarded her multiple roles where she seemingly fits in. While she’s never living down donning blackface to portray Nina Simone, Saldaña’s Afro-Latina roots have helped her secure a number of impressive roles. 

A controversial filmography 

Saldaña’s Afro-Latino ethnicity has strangely always been a source of contention, especially when appearing in films with key racial or ethnic characters. 

For example In 2011, she butted heads with a grassroots group, PorColombia, just ahead of the release of her film Colombiana. In Colombiana, Saldaña appears as Cataleya Restrepo, a contract killer seeking revenge after losing both her parents in a cartel power struggle at the height of the Colombia conflict in Bogota. The movie would eventually be slammed by PorColombia for lacking “context and cultural awareness.” It was also criticized for portraying Latinos in a negative light. In her interviewed response with The Wall Street Journal, Saldaña surmised these as “stupid unintelligent comments.”

A few years later, she controversially accepted the role of Nina Simone in the biopic Nina. She was publicly vilified for this decision. To achieve at least some resemblance to the legendary artist and activist, Saldaña had to darken her skin with makeup. Furthermore, she wore a prosthetic nose. When she was questioned about how much this was reminiscent of racist blackface, she replied: “Nina looks like half my family!”

.@zoesaldana Cool story but please take Nina's name out your mouth. For the rest of your life.

— Nina Simone (@NinaSimoneMusic) March 3, 2016

In the wake of Emilia Pérez, Saldaña, who is not Mexican, had to explain the film’s depiction of Mexicans, which many deemed racist and uninformed. This was further complicated by a series of bigoted comments made by Spanish actress Karla Sofia Gascón.

With her Oscar secured firmly in her hand, Saldaña shared that “We were making a film about friendship. We were making a film about four women. These women could have been Russian, Dominican… could have been from Israel, from Gaza.” Unsurprisingly, Saldaña has received considerable backlash for this insensitive comment. Ironically, when her chances at the Oscar were threatened following Gascón’s vile remarks, Emilia Pérez was, according to Saldaña, “a love letter.”

What nationality is Zoe Saldaña?

Sadana is an Afro-Latino American woman, born in New Jersey, making her an American. She also spent some of her childhood living in the Dominican Republic, after losing her father Aridio Saldaña. Furthermore, she speaks Spanish fluently, albeit with a discernible non-native accent.

The truth of her ethnicity is well documented. However, Saldaña herself may have either downplayed, or downright dismissed ethnicity in the past. A decade ago, she told BET that there is “no such thing as people of color.” Additionally, she refuses  to use the word “ethnic,” or reference “Black or white” in conversations about race. Why? Because they made her “uncomfortable.”

Altogether, Zoe Saldaña’s Dominican-Puerto Rican ethnicity is not a hidden secret at all. It however seems to be of a much lesser importance to her.

The 2025 Academy Awards didn’t disappoint. From Mikey Madison’s Best Actress win to Kieran Culkin’s adorable shout-out to Jeremy Strong, there’s a lot for fans to unpack today.

Although anticipation for who will take home each golden trophy is always at an all-time high, another part of the Oscars is equally important: the red carpet. Is there anything better than putting out an array of snacks (chips and guac for me, please) and debating who had the best look? There are usually a few stand-out gowns, but this time, as soon as viewers saw Zoe Saldaña, they had one question: who made her incredible and beautiful necklace? Let’s find out!

Who was the designer of Zoe Saldaña’s 2025 Oscars necklace?

Saldaña won the Best ing Actress Oscar for playing lawyer Rita Mora Castro in Emilia Pérez, and people noticed her jewelry right away. According to Harper’s Bazaar, Cartier designed Saldaña’s Oscars necklace. And also according to the publication, you can wear it as a bracelet or on your shoulder.

Saldaña said she was “honored to be the first person” to put this on. She added, “Its bold creativity and magnetic energy feel like a perfect fit for the Oscars night.” This is no ordinary necklace, of course. It has a 10.10-carat Zambian emerald, diamonds, and onyx, and is called Pantheres Versatiles. Harper’s Bazaar shared a fascinating and awe-inspiring detail: the necklace was created in 34 months. That’s 4,827 hours! Considering people’s attention spans these days, that is seriously impressive.

The actress is a huge fan of fashion, so it’s no wonder she was drawn to this particular Cartier necklace. In 2010, she said of her favorite designers, “I tend to go with more dramatic designers, Givenchy, Alaia, Christian Lacroix and Calvin Klein.” The Pantheres Versatiles is definitely a showstopper!

Since Cartier’s necklaces can be priced upwards of tens of thousands, I can only imagine the price tag on Saldaña’s Oscars jewelry, since the actual cost has not been reported. Chances are if you have to ask, you can’t afford it. While I would be super nervous about breaking or losing such an expensive piece, she’s of course a pro and has worn designer clothing and jewelry to countless awards shows. She has also worked with her stylist, Petra Flannery, for a while, including for this big night. In a 2012 interview with PEOPLE, Flannery said, Zoë can wear things that a lot of people can’t wear, and she pulls it off and looks beautiful all the time. We like taking those risks.” The actress added in the same interview that stylists “are such an important element to the composition of an artist’s image.”

Saldaña’s Oscars 2025 look was 100 percent perfection thanks to her gorgeous deep red gown and the Cartier Pantheres Versatiles necklace. Back in 2013, the actress told Elle Magazine that she wears black since she’s from New York but her mom told her “To be myself. And wear color, for God’s sake.” So, it was fitting that on this massive night when she marked this big milestone and wore a beautiful red dress with a special piece of jewelry, her mom was in the audience. How sweet is that?!

With Avatar: Fire and Ash and Avatar 4 in the works and her recent role on the Paramount+ series Lionness, not to mention her Oscars win, Saldaña’s career is only going to get better and better. I can’t wait to see her next award show look.

Despite being an awards tank, Netflix’s Emilia Perez has been the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons. Between its star getting into trouble over old offensive tweets and the swaths of people determined to prove how bad of a movie it is, the road has been bumpy since day one. And now, Zoe Saldaña has finally responded to the backlash.

The poor press didn’t manage to stop the awards circuit momentum, however. Karla Sofia Gascón showed up to the 2025 Oscars despite knowing she’d be the target of a jab by host Conan O’Brien (her nomination came after she was “canceled”) and Emilia Perez still took home statues despite the haters’ cries.

One winner was Saldaña, who took home her first Academy Award for ing Actress. The Avatar and Guardians of the Galaxy actor is perhaps the least controversial part of this sordid affair, with her performance widely praised. However, she felt the need to clarify things in the press room when a journalist commented that Emilia Perez was “really hurtful for us Mexicans.”

The Guardian reported she took the point seriously. She responded, “I’m very, very sorry that you and so many Mexicans felt offended.” She also added that the crew, mostly made up of Europeans, were coming from a place of empathy, not malice. “That was never our intention. We spoke from a place of love,” she said.

Though the Dominican-American star respected the reporter who raised the point, she disagreed with the sentiments. “I don’t share your opinion,” Saldaña shared, seemingly implying that the movie’s setting was not a commentary on Mexico. “For me, the heart of this movie was not Mexico. We were making a film about friendship. We were making a film about four women.”

Regardless of her comments, Mexican people, their culture, and the problems immigrants face in the U.S. were major threads in the story. Emilia Perez is, first and foremost, a character drama, but it’s challenging to separate the people in it from their backgrounds, which heavily influenced themes in the narrative.

She continued, “These women could have been Russian, could have been Dominican, could have been Black from Detroit, could have been from Israel, could have been from Gaza. And these women are still very universal women that are struggling every day, but trying to survive systemic oppression and trying to find the most authentic voices.”

Saldaña concluded, “So I will stand by that, but I’m also always open to sit down with all of my Mexican brothers and sisters, with love and respect, [to have] a great conversation on how Emilia could have been done better.” With this topic not going away, it’s clear that conversation needs to happen.

Zoe Saldaña is no stranger to Hollywood, as she’s been part of some of the highest-grossing films of all time. However, her acting talents had yet to be officially recognized during awards season, and the musical Emilia Pérez helped her achieve this long-overdue mishap. As she won her first-ever Golden Globe, the star received wholesome from her co-star, Selena Gomez.

For the entire press tour promoting the musical, Saldaña has been very outspoken about how important it was for her to push herself and try something new. Her efforts were noticed, because she received a multitude of nominations for the role, aside from the Golden Globe win, including at the Satellite Awards and Critics Choice Awards, and she’s getting Oscar buzz as well.

Emilia Pérez premiered at the 2024 Cannes to critical acclaim, and it also stars Karla Sofía Gascón, Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz, Mark Ivanir, and Édgar Ramírez. Jacques Audiard directed the musical crime comedy, which is based on his opera libretto of the same name. It won the Jury Prize award at Cannes, as well as the Best Actress award for its female cast. As it continued its awards dominance, stars Saldaña and Gomez expressed nothing but love and for each other, even when they were in direct competition.

Selena Gomez was Zoe Saldaña’s biggest er for her win

Aside from Saldaña, other nominees in the best performance by a female actor in a ing role category were her Emilia Pérez costar Selena Gomez, as well as Wicked‘s Ariana Grande, The Brutalist‘s Felicity Jones, The Substance‘s Margaret Qualley, and Conclave‘s Isabella Rossellini.

Saldana’s name was the one called out to win the award, and she got on stage and delivered a tearful, heartfelt speech. However, the moment of the announcement has the internet praising not only the winning actress but Selena Gomez, too.

As per usual, all six nominees were shown on the screen when Moana’s Dwayne Johnson and Auliʻi Cravalho presented the award. Everyone seemed hopeful and excited to hear their own name for the award, except Gomez. The clip shows her mouthing “Zoe, Zoe, Zoe” before Johnson officially called her name. She sprang to her feet faster than Saldaña and started jumping with joy.

In a world constantly pitting women against each other, Selena Gomez was the change we want to see in the world. Excited, ive, and genuinely happy — even when it came to her detriment.

Naturally, the internet was thrilled to see it, too. “Selena mouthing ‘Zoe, Zoe, Zoe’ before it was announced. I love seeing women ing women,” wrote one follower. “Look at how Selena celebrated, that’s a genuine friend,” highlighted another.

To prepare for the honor of simply being nominated, Zoe Saldaña pulled all the stops for her red-carpet look. Considering Emilia Pérez was co-produced by Saint Laurent Productions, alongside Anthony Vaccarello, the creative director of the brand, it was not a surprise to see the actress attend the event wearing Saint Laurent. She opted for a dark brown strapless plunging sequin gown, paired with a voluminous satin cape for extra glam and sophistication.

From her glam to her golden statuette and her co-star with a heart of gold, 2025 has proven to be Zoe Saldaña’s year and we’re here for it.

Zoe Saldaña has reflected on the unique experience she had while portraying Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise while thwarting the idea that Marvel movies can’t be deep. 

The actress recalled her time working on the trilogy in a recent interview with Variety, revealing that James Gunn — who directed all installments of the space-going superhero franchise — offered her the role after seeing her play Neytiri in Avatar. “I wish I could go back in time and try so many more things for [Gamora],” Saldaña said. 

“She was a really fun character to play.” Beyond the fact that Gamora solidified Saldaña’s status as the go-to actress for alien characters (look out, out Mike Wazowski!), the role offered a level of depth that took Saldaña by surprise, since “we don’t like to use words like ‘deep’ and ‘Marvel’ in the same sentence.”

Similar criticisms of Marvel movies supposedly lacking nuance have in the past been leveled against the studio by the likes of Martin Scorcese, Francis Ford Coppola, and Oliver Stone, but Saldaña said it was James Gunn who brought much of the unexpected depth to the Guardians franchise. “He was doing something really special,” Saldaña said of the now-DCU mastermind. 

“He was stepping outside of the mold of what superheroes were supposed to be.” The actress went on to describe the rag-tag team that comprises Guardians as “rejects that came with childhood traumas and disabilities and mental issues.” According to Saldaña, this more complex idea of a superhero — beyond just your regular cape-wearer who saves cats from tall trees — meant Gunn “gave these characters space to be loved.”

“It was a really important film now that I look back at it,” she added, citing the Guardians characters’ discovery of self-love and their creation of a “family within their friendships.” It isn’t the first time Saldaña has looked back fondly on her experience working on the trilogy, with the actress last year praising the conclusion of Gamora’s character arc and leaving the door open for a possible reprisal of the role. 

Elsewhere, Saldaña said she loved the anonymity that CGI-heavy characters like Gamora and Neytiri provided her, since she can sometimes go unrecognized in public (unless, of course, she ducks out for dinner while covered entirely in green paint).

Saldaña isn’t the only celebrity who has vouched for the surprising depth of Marvel movies and defended them as valid pieces of cinema. Fellow Marvel stars like Chris Hemsworth, Chris Hemsworth, and Samuel L. Jackson have each hit back at criticisms of the superhero genre in the past (I’m sure the enormous paycheck didn’t hurt), with web-slinger Tom Holland going as far as describing Marvel movies as “real art.”

Still, the critiques Saldaña mentions persist. Scorsese famously described Marvel movies as “not real cinema”, while Coppola and Stone echoed the sentiment and labeled them as “despicable” and “not believable,” respectively (ouch!). How about we all just get off our high horses and enjoy a bunch of super-powered characters shooting lasers and rescuing kittens? With a bucket full of popcorn, no movie needs to be “deep” to be enjoyable, and I’ll die on that hill (with buttery fingers and kernels in my teeth).

Films that do well at Cannes tend to be hot picks for awards later on in the season, so you shouldn’t be surprised if everyone you know starts raving about Emilia Perez.

The film has a good blend of established performers and new faces and also takes on trans issues, cartel crimes, and is also a musical comedy. And, if the minutes-long standing ovation it received at Cannes is anything to go by, it handles these topics well.

With so much hype behind it, you might be wondering when you’ll be able to see the film. Read on to find out the Emilia Perez release date, as well as the most important information we have about the film so far!

What is Emilia Perez about?

Emilia Perez is set in modern-day Mexico and begins with lawyer Rita, who is stuck working for a large legal firm that spends most of their time helping criminals escape justice. She’s overworked with boring duties that are way beneath her intellectual and professional ability, and is seeking a way to get out of what she considers a career rut.

That opportunity comes from an unexpected source: cartel boss Juan “Little Hands” Del (nickname Manitas), a man with a fearsome reputation even in the violent world of Mexico’s drug-running underground. He doesn’t just want to retire from the world he’s built his reputation in, but go one step further and disappear completely, ensuring that he’s no longer on the radar of the police or his terrifying competitors.

This seems impossible at first. However, Manitas has a secret plan that he’s been working on for years: to undergo gender reassignment surgery and become the woman he’s always wanted to be. What follows is a hilariously dark tale that has its surprisingly sweet moments (and a pretty great soundtrack too, by all s).

The somewhat controversial premise of Emilia Perez has led to a lot of chatter online, but if early reviews are anything to go by, it manages to take on its subject matter with both heart and humor. The film is in Spanish, and the soundtrack was written by Clément Ducol and French singer Camille.

When will Emilia Perez be released?

Emilia Perez is set to be released by Pathé in on August 28th. In the U.S and U.K, rights have been acquired by streaming giant Netflix, who are yet to give the film a release date. It’s widely believed the movie will be available to stream by June 2024, but there has been no official confirmation from either Netflix or the film’s producers.

Who stars in Emelia Perez?

Emilia Perez features a great cast that combines some big names with a lot of performers who will be unfamiliar to English-speaking audiences, as well as some completely new faces.

Rita is played by Avengers and Avatar actress Zoe Saldaña, in a change from her usual sci-fi franchise work. The biggest name on the call sheet was undoubtedly Only Murders in the Building star Selena Gomez, who plays the part of Jessi Del Monte.

The role of Juan/Manitas will be played by trans actress Karla Sofía Gascón. The Spanish native has mostly appeared in telenovelas from her native country, and this is her first big international film role. She was awarded the prize for Best Actress at Cannes this year, so it’s clear she’s handling the step up to a larger role well.

Another familiar name to Western audiences will be Édgar Ramírez, who has appeared in Zero Dark Thirty and the Bourne trilogy. He also has a Golden Globe and Emmy nomination. He plays a character named Gustavo.

A familiar face but perhaps not name who is gracing the screen in Emilia Perez is character actor Mark Ivanir, who has appeared in Homeland, Barry, and American Horror Story. His voice might also be known by gamers, as he has played characters in multiple Call of Duty games.

Fans of Spanish-language shows and films will also recognize Mexican Adriana Paz, who plays a character called Epifana.

Special Ops: Lioness was guaranteed to be a massive hit from the moment it was pitched. From Taylor Sheridan, mastermind of the phenomenally popular Yellowstone universe, and the latest entry in the current craze for big-budget military-themed and/or spy series, it was no surprise when Lioness broke records upon its release in July 2023. Specifically, the show managed to shoot down mixed reviews to become one of the most-watched premieres of Paramount Plus’ lifespan so far.

Lioness follows Force Recon Marine Cruz Manuelos (Laysla de Oliveira) as she’s recruited into the CIA’s Lioness program, as led in the field by the tough-as-nails Joe (Zoe Saldaña) and overseen by high-ranking official Kaitlin Meade (Nicole Kidman), and is tasked with befriending the daughter of a terrorist financier. The rest of the cast includes Jill Wagner, LaMonica Garrett, and none other than Morgan Freeman.

At the time of writing, Paramount has yet to officially announce a second season of Special Ops, but given its immense success it surely seems a given. What’s more, rumored intel claims that the decision has already been made, but the next run might not be exactly what viewers are anticipating. Here’s everything we know so far.

Special Ops: Lioness season 2 plot

According to scooper Daniel Richtman, Special Ops is returning… but it will transform into an anthology series. Whereas Lioness deals with terrorist threats stemming from the Middle East, the second season — which we’d assume would go by a different subtitle — is allegedly set to relocate to an entirely different area of the world. And, in doing so, it might just turn out to be perfect for fans of an acclaimed Netflix crime drama.

“Lioness has been renewed for season 2,” Richtman shared. “The show will be an anthology series and next season will have a new cast. It will be set in Mexico and be about the war against the Mexican drug cartel.” Assuming that these leaked details prove to be correct then it certainly sounds like anyone missing Netflix’s Narcos, or its recent spiritual follow-up Griselda, will not want to miss Special Ops season 2.

Special Ops: Lioness season 2 cast

Lioness season 1 had exactly the kind of A-list ensemble cast that you would expect from Sheridan, whose Yellowstone universe is similarly stacked with stars. Perhaps the biggest reason why fans might’ve feared for the show’s future is the difficulty in assembling such a talented and busy bunch of actors for another bout of filming. So, while it is not entirely confirmed, the series taking an anthology approach next time around would make a lot of sense.

The downside if this is indeed the case, however, is that we shouldn’t expect to see any familiar faces return. According to Richtman, an entirely new cast will be hired for season 2, so it seems we can say goodbye to Saldaña’s Joe, Kidman’s Meade, de Oliveira’s Manuelos, and the rest. It’s conceivable that some of the team, perhaps even Saldaña, to keep her as the face of the franchise, could be retained, but if we’re to believe the rumor then an entirely fresh cast will be found.

Special Ops: Lioness season 2 release window

After some initial teething problems in pre-production — original showrunner Thomas Brady and his writers’ room were let go and Sheridan was brought on instead — Lioness had a swift and easy production period. Filming began in September 2022, wrapped up by January 2023, and it was out on streaming by that summer. So the fact that season 2 hasn’t been officially confirmed is no cause to worry. Paramount will probably announce it once filming is ready to go, after which it could only be a matter of months before it debuts. Even so, a 2024 arrival seems a bit of a stretch, so Special Ops: Lioness is likely looking at a release sometime in 2025. Hopefully the first half of the year, if we’re lucky.

The Multiverse Saga sure is doing a real number on MCU continuity, isn’t it? Sorry for those who don’t care about the nuts and bolts of Marvel canon, but honestly, if you’re here reading this then you probably do.

Loki has torn apart the Sacred Timeline and rebuilt it anew, first we were told the Defenders Saga wasn’t canon but then we were told that it was, and let’s not even get started on She-Hulk punching holes through the fourth wall. Speaking of, things are bound to get even more canon-crazy when Deadpool 3 releases this July. And the proof is already here…

New Deadpool 3 synopsis confirms Wade and Wolverine are about to tear up the MCU

You’d better believe Deadpool 3 is going to be Marvel’s first R-rated movie — even its synopses are for mature eyes only. A new Japanese plot summary for the threequel deploys the shocking bombshell that it will see the “f***ing irresponsible hero Deadpool change the history of the MCU with Wolverine.” Excuse me, he’ll what now? Does Kevin Feige know about this? If Deadpool 3 repeats the ending of The Flash and has George Clooney turn up as Iron Man in the final frame, it had better make all the money. If anyone can erase Marvel’s box office troubles from the timeline, it’s Deadpool.

Captain America: Brave New World‘s new suit for Sam Cap gives up its secrets too soon

Ah, merch: both Marvel’s greatest money-maker and its biggest bane. Thanks to a rogue snap that’s made its way online, we’ve now got our first look at the new superhero suit worn by Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson in Captain America: Brave New World. As you’d expect, reactions are split down the middle, like Steve Rogers’ shield after Thanos had a go at it. Partly that’s because Sam only got to wear his last one for just five minutes at the end of Falcon and the Winter Soldier and we all liked it. Sure, it’s a brave new world but we would’ve been fine with a familiar old suit.

Guardians 3‘s James Gunn and Zoe Saldaña seem all but confirmed to reunite in the DCU

The one shining light of Marvel’s misshapen 2023 was Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which earned a whopping $845 million at the box office. The only problem is that writer/director James Gunn has since hopped to DC, and it looks like he’s taking his Guardians with him. Gamora herself Zoe Saldaña has itted she would love to work with Gunn again on a new superhero project, while Gunn has similarly itted that he’s already got some roles for her in mind. Add in Sean “Kraglin” Gunn playing Maxwell Lord and persistent rumors Chris Pratt could be Booster Gold, and it seems likely that the entire Guardians team could reassemble one day… Just not in the MCU. Oh well, if it does happen, blame Deadpool for messing with the timeline.

James Gunn is not one to abandon his friends, and he’s wasting no time in bringing his closest collaborators over to DC with him now that he’s got the keys to the kingdom.

Just look at how Nathan Fillion is set to play Green Lantern Guy Gardner in Superman: Legacy, with his brother Sean Gunn on call as Maxwell Lord. Sure enough, the DC Studios co-CEO has long been open about the fact he’s hoping to bring the full Guardians of the Galaxy cast into the DCU eventually. And it’s possible the next one to emerge through the multiversal portal from Marvel will be Gamora herself, Zoe Saldaña.

The Avengers: Endgame actress got fans everywhere excited when she itted to ComicBook.com that she would be ecstatic to DC. “I love the superhero universe of any sort,” she gushed. “I have sons that are obsessed with comic books right now, and superheroes, so for me to be a part of projects that they will get to watch for the next 10, 15 years of their whole lives, it’s a dream for me. If it never gets to happen, or if it happens with other filmmakers, and not James Gunn, or if it happens again with James Gunn, I would be so grateful.”

Gunn was then presented with Saldaña’s comments on Threads and asked if he would like to work with her again and if he already has roles for her in mind. “Ofc and ofc,” he replied. “I love Zoe.”

Well, if Gunn already has some characters he’s pegged as potentially perfect for his Gamora it’s surely only a matter of time before Saldaña makes her DCU debut. If Gunn’s having some trouble deciding on her definitive DC role, though, there’s one character the Star Trek star would be well-suited for. And it’s a hero Gunn himself previously erased from the SnyderVerse.

Who should Zoe Saldaña play in the DCEU? The answer is the Question…

With basically an entire universe to be cast in the newborn DCU and with Saldaña being such a versatile performer, there are so many characters that could have her name on them. It’s easy to imagine the actress being a fantastic Catwoman in The Brave and the Bold, for example, or a great Jessica Cruz in the Lanterns TV series. Saldaña may even wish to try her hand at a supervillain role after a decade as a superhero, in which case how about Poison Ivy or Queen Bee, as seen in Young Justice?

The absolute best DC role for Saldaña, however? Ironically, it’s a character that Gunn himself threw to the side in his first project for Marvel’s Distinguished Competition. Let’s have Zoe Saldaña return to the comic book movie world as Renee Montoya, preferably with her portrayal depicting her taking on the mantle of the Question.

Montoya has already appeared in film, of course, as Rosie Perez played her in 2020’s Birds of Prey. However, despite Renee and the other Birds forming a partnership with Harley Quinn throughout that movie, Gunn made no attempt to reference the characters in 2021’s The Suicide Squad. After BoP failed to ignite the box office, this effectively allowed DC to bury the characters, which is why little headway was being made on a sequel even before the old DCEU dissolved to make way for the Gunn-verse.

Gunn can belatedly do right by the character with a Saldaña casting, then. Montoya is a fascinating character who goes from a Gotham cop, an instrument of the system, to a vigilante whose whole thing is rebelling and questioning the authorities. It’s a transformative arc and a tough-as-nails heroine, not to mention one of DC’s most popular sapphic characters, and would surely be a gift of a part for the actress. The bonus is that Renee is of Dominican heritage in the comics, while Saldaña is Dominican/Puerto-Rican.

So, that’s settled; Zoe Saldaña should be the DCU’s Renee Montoya. Now the Question remains… where should she debut? James Gunn, I’ll leave that up to you.

The Avengers themselves are no strangers to office romances, so it’s no surprise that many stars of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have got together, either prior to their time in spandex or as a direct result of working on these movies.

Many MCU icons have dated fellow actors who have starred in other studio’s Marvel films, such as Chris Evans’ romantic history with both Venom‘s Jenny Slate and Blade Trinity‘s Jessica Biel, but for the purposes of this list we’re just sticking to MCU canon. Here are all 18 MCU actors who are dating or have dated and who are married or have been married to date. Let’s start with the obvious…

Tom Holland and Zendaya

One of Marvel’s most popular couples on screen is also one of Hollywood’s favorite It Couples right now. Yes, after working together closely for years on the MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy, playing Peter Parker and MJ, Tom Holland and Zendaya were confirmed to be an item in 2021, after first meeting five years before in 2016. Rumor has it they could star opposite each other once more in Spider-Man 4.

Tom Hiddleston and Zawe Ashton

What is it with Marvel’s British Toms falling for women whose names start with Z? Ironically, Loki season 2’s finale, starring Tom Hiddleston, lands on Disney Plus at the same time as The Marvels hits theaters, featuring the MCU debut of Hiddleston’s IRL partner, Zawe Ashton, who plays villain Dar-Benn. The couple are currently engaged and welcomed their first child together in October 2022.

Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds

Although their Marvel alter egos, the no-nonsense Black Widow and the wacky Deadpool, couldn’t be more different, Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds used to be married. The couple began dating in 2007, married in 2008, and then ultimately divorced in 2011. These days, the pair are happily married to other people — Johansson to SNL veteran Colin Jost and Reynolds to actress Blake Lively.

Zoe Saldaña and Bradley Cooper

As Gamora and Rocket Raccoon, Zoe Saldaña and Bradley Cooper form two fifths of the founding of the Guardians of the Galaxy, even if they never actually shared the screen or met on set due to Cooper’s voice-only role. The duo certainly know each other in person, however, as the two superstars actors dated for two years prior to their Guardians careers, from 2011 to 2013.

Chris Pratt and Emily VanCamp

Speaking of the Guardians, Star-Lord himself Chris Pratt and Sharon Carter actress Emily VanCamp both got their big break in the early 2000s teen drama Everwood. Although they played brother and sister on screen, the two young actors got together during their time on The WB show and dated for three years from 2004 to 2007. They’ve yet to share the screen in the MCU.

Gemma Chan and Dominic Cooper

Another Marvel couple who have never shared the screen in the MCU? Gemma Chan and Dominic Cooper, who have been dating since 2018 and are still together as of 2023. Despite not getting the chance to work together in Marvel-land yet, both are extremely familiar faces in the franchise, with Chann starring in both Captain Marvel and Eternals and Cooper in Captain America: The First Avenger, What If…?, and Agent Carter.

Robert Downey Jr. and Marisa Tomei

Fans definitely picked up on the chemistry between Tony Stark and Aunt May in Captain America: Civil War, and that might be because Robert Downey Jr. and Marisa Tomei briefly dated back in the 1990s. Playing a couple on screen in 1994’s romcom Only You led to sparks flying between the duo in real life too. Although their relationship isn’t believed to have lasted very long, they remain good friends.

Michelle Pfeiffer and Michael Keaton

Marvel fans know Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet Van Dyne in the Ant-Man films and Michael Keaton in Spider-Man: Homecoming (and, uh, *mumbles* Morbius), but it’s fair to say their most celebrated superhero roles are in DC’s Batman Returns as the Dark Knight and Catwoman. Interestingly, the pair actually dated prior to Returns, with Keaton initially reluctant for Pfeiffer to be cast due to their past history.

Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly

Paul Bettany might be half of one of the MCU’s most tragic and epic romances with Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, but in real life the Vision actor has been happily married to actress Jennifer Connelly since 2003 and the couple have three children together. Although she also played Betty Ross in 2003’s non-canon Hulk, Connelly was later cast as Peter Parker’s AI Karen in Homecoming, which was surely a meta gag at her husband’s casting as Iron Man’s AI Jarvis.

Gamora has gone through one of the most peculiar character arcs in the Infinity Saga and the ongoing Multiverse Saga, but what really became of the Guardians of the Galaxy character and why was she absent from the majority of the MCU Phase 4?

One of the most controversial decisions by Kevin Feige and co. was to kill off Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War, only to bring her back in its sequel, Avengers: Endgame. But unlike the people who’d been “blipped” away, the version of Gamora that came back to this universe was from an alternate reality; a reality where she never met the Guardians and had no recollection of who Peter Quill or the rest of the gang were.

That brings us to Thor: Love and Thunder, which marked the gang’s first appearance since Endgame, but with Gamora conspicuously absent even though we were half expecting to see her reunited with the team. So, what happened to Gamora after Endgame and where did she end up in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3?

What happened to Gamora after Endgame?

Despite what we had expected, Gamora didn’t reunite with The Bowie crew. It makes sense from a narrative perspective. Gamora doesn’t know anything about her other version, and she hasn’t gone through all of that character development to feel any empathy towards the Guardians, or the galaxy at large, for that matter.

When we see Gamora in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, she has found a new home among the Ravagers. The alienation between her and the Guardians is a key plot point in Vol. 3, though one that James Gunn naturally weaves together without forcing anything. The MCU isn’t trying to undo what it did with the original Gamora’s death, and though the actress herself is open to returning to the role and seeing a reunion with Peter realized, there have been no hints as to when that might happen.

So, for the time being, Gamora is going to be spending her days as a Ravager, roaming the galaxy and partaking in adventures as a space pirate.

With the way the third Guardians of the Galaxy ended, we know that if there were to be a fourth film in the franchise, it just wouldn’t be the same. Although the end-credits scene certainly leaves the door wide open for the Guardians to continue their galactic adventures, as well as promising Star-Lord’s return, I’m going to say what I think a lot of people are thinking: We should just leave the Guardians be.

What are the chances of getting a fourth film?

This is Disney we’re talking about. As fun as these films are, at the end of the day, it’s a business — and these films are a product. If they make money, then the studio will probably try and rinse a franchise for all it can. And boy, oh boy, did the Guardians make money. The first film garnered just under $800 million worldwide at the box office and the latter two sured the $800 million mark. Disney won’t be so quick to let such profitable heroes fade into obscurity.

Although as I’ve already mentioned, the last film sort of caps off the whole story; all of the characters have had their arcs and are going their separate ways, Dave Bautista and Zoe Saldana have confirmed they are not planning on returning, and James Gunn is off to greener pastures. But that doesn’t mean the end for the Guardians as a whole, just this iteration of the Guardians that we know and love.

We already know that there are plans for a Peter Quill/Star-Lord solo movie as the end-credits scene already promised us that “The Legendary Star-Lord Will Return.” On top of that, Rocket has a new team made up of Kraglin, King Groot, Adam Warlock, and Phyla, the young girl rescued from the High Evolutionary.

All this is to say that Disney has ample material to expand based on what we’ve seen in the third movie. Although nothing is in stone yet, it seems like the studio is only biding its time with these characters. They will more than likely return to the silver screen at some point, but hopefully not under the title “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 4” because that would be pretty disrespectful to Gunn.

Why shouldn’t we get another Guardians?

Listen, I love all the Guardians as much as the next guy. But we’ve had our fun; there can always be too much of a good thing. Gunn did a fantastic job with these characters and the story across the three movies. It just works as a trilogy — why carry on and potentially run it into the ground?

You might be inclined to argue, but I would point your attention to other franchises like Indiana Jones, Pirates of the Caribbean, or Transformers; all of these films worked as trilogies before extra films were tacked on. If Indiana Jones had stopped at The Last Crusade, the world would be a better place. It’s okay to end things on a high note; Hollywood has convinced us all that a franchise can’t die until it’s had a few awful sequels fail at the box office. But that isn’t the case.

Secondly, the original line-up for the team was pretty much perfect. I think it’s safe to say that fans went to theaters and paid for tickets to see the characters we’ve come to love over the past nine years. I know that’s why I did. A new line-up would have big boots to fill. I mean, sure, we all love Rocket, but his relationship with the others is what truly made him stand out. Will he have the same chemistry with a new team?

No Guardians without Gunn

Thirdly, and perhaps most important, is the fact that there are no Guardians without Gunn. His distinctive style, dialogue, and set designs really made the films stand out from the rest of the usual Marvel content. I know there are plenty of talented directors with great visions at Marvel, but Gunn’s cinematic flair is unique — it can’t be imitated. 

Even then, the directors and writers at Marvel seem to be struggling right now. There’s no way I’d trust Peyton Reed to direct a Guardians film or Jeff Loveness to write one. It’s not their fault; the Marvel machine seems to chew up and spit out creatives, but Gunn was somehow able to stand above all of that. Now that he’s gone, I’m sure there’s nobody left who could do what he did. 

I’m convinced anything from Marvel in the future related to the Guardians of the Galaxy would only ever be a pale imitation of the former glory contained within the original trilogy. Maybe I’m just being pessimistic, but I think we all just need to learn when to stop and appreciate what we got.