Zoe Saldaña knows her way around Pandora. The Academy Award®-winning actress first joined James Cameron’s Avatar series with the 2009 original film, breathing life into the fierce Na’vi warrior Neytiri. She later returned for 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water, which followed Neytiri and her partner Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) as they fought to protect their family. Now, Saldaña is once again picking up Neytiri’s bow, this time for the new film Avatar: Fire and Ash (in theaters December 19).
Fire and Ash finds the Sully family reeling from a devastating loss, and Saldaña says the film follows Neytiri as she struggles to rebuild — while also facing off against a deadly new threat.
“She’s just aging with so much grace,” Saldaña tells Avatar.com. “I think her strength comes through her experiences and the bond that she continuously nurtures with Jake. It’s really beautiful to see a love story play out throughout the saga like this.”
Here, Saldaña opens up about bringing Neytiri to life in Fire and Ash and how she bonded with her on-screen family.
Avatar.com: You’re obviously no stranger to Pandora, and you starred in both Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water. But is there something you got to do for the first time on Avatar: Fire and Ash that really excited you?
ZOE SALDAÑA: It’s not necessary a skill or a stunt, but when Neytiri gets hurt and she has to rebuild her strength again, that was new for her. She’s starting to feel her body just not being there for her, and she’s always depended on her body to be so capable and agile. That was interesting. I loved playing that part [of her] because she’s so unbreakable, yet she is fragile.
Neytiri really goes on a journey in Avatar: Fire and Ash, both as a warrior and as a mother. The first time you read this script, what excited you most about her arc in this film?
The level of pain that her and Jake are enduring is unimaginable. I was not looking forward to that. But the way the Sully kids rise up and guide their parents, heal them, and reconnect the whole family is beautiful. I’m excited for audiences to experience that kind of magic.
Family has always been such a key part of these films. Tell me a little bit about working with the younger actors. How did you bond as an on-screen family?
When Trinity [Jo-Li Bliss] started, she was 7, I think. Now she’s a teenager, and her voice has changed! It’s incredible. Jack [Champion], too. Jack was like 4 foot, 11, and now he’s over 6 foot.
I’m extremely proud of the work that Britain [Dalton] did bringing Lo’ak to life. Lo’ak is so misunderstood, so he’s such an outsider. There were moments in which I worried for Britain. I thought, “Oh God, he’s so young.” He was only 15 or 16 when he was cast, and I just worried that this role was going to get to him and affect him. But I’m so proud of the work he’s done. Bailey [Bass], too. Watching Bailey is just wonderful. It’s wonderful what the kids are doing, and they are the heart of Avatar now. The Sully family is this beautiful, relatable family because of the children.
Do you have any favorite memories of working with them on Avatar: Fire and Ash?
What was that dance that everybody was doing? Flossing? What’s it called? [Laughs] We learned to floss because Britain would do it all the time. We were like, “Okay, let’s floss with Britain!” All the kids and all the grownups were attempting it, and it was hilarious and embarrassing. But those were the moments of joy that made long, heavy days feel like nothing.
You’ve obviously known James Cameron for a while, working with him on several films now. Did you have a favorite day on set with him for Avatar: Fire and Ash?
Jake and Neytiri have these heavy scenes with each other, where they’re not seeing things eye to eye. I just loved the intimacy when Jim, Sam [Worthington], and I would come together. Everything and everyone else goes away because we’re so in the zone when we dive into the lives of these two characters. Those are the moments where we learned so much. It’s so healing and so inspiring when we do it together. It’s such a beautiful collaboration that I’m able to have with James Cameron, and I feel so safe with both of them.
How did you react when you saw the finished film?
Not a dry eye! I went through a whole bag of tissues. [I was] so proud of everybody and proud primarily of Jim. Just all that sacrifice. I just love when it pays off. I’m proud of the entire crew. 3,800 people are credited for the film. It’s 3,800 people that showed up for a story that this man conceived out of thin air. But it represents a mirror to so many things that make us feel innately human. I’m just extremely proud of all of us.
Avatar: Fire and Ash opens in theaters worldwide on December 19, 2025. Get your tickets now.
