Zoe Saldaña Opens Up on Raising Three Sons in Tough Times
Key Points
- Saldaña balances shielding her sons from pervasive cultural noise while nurturing their gentleness and mental strength.
- She emphasizes raising multicultural sons, proud heritage, aiming for them to be full human beings.
- Her family’s support fuels her: James Cameron praised her; she celebrated husband Marco Perego during her Oscar win.
ZOE Saldaña has shared the delicate balancing act of raising three boys amid a noisy world full of conflicting messages.
The Avatar star, mum to 11-year-old twins Cy and Bowie and 9-year-old Zen, spoke to Page Six at the 2026 Time 100 Gala about shielding her sons from harsh realities while nurturing their gentle sides.
“There’s so much noise out there, and that noise is very pervasive and very persuasive,” she said, highlighting the challenge of keeping their hearts “gentle and soft” yet their minds strong.
Saldaña also touched on the added complexity of raising “men of colour and sons of immigrants and American men,” reflecting her Dominican and Puerto Rican roots alongside husband Marco Perego’s Italian background.
She expressed pride in their heritage but emphasised her ultimate goal is for her boys to “be absolute human beings.” Saldaña described men as “delicate flowers”—resilient yet gentle—and said she is focused on preserving that softness.
Last year, the actress gave a heartfelt shout-out to Perego and their sons while accepting her Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Emilia Pérez, calling being his partner “the biggest honour in my life.”
She said their boys “fill our skies every night with stars.” Director James Cameron, who praised Saldaña as a “phenomenon” in Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2026 list, described her as “gracious, loyal, loving, and fiercely protective” in both work and life.
With her family by her side, Saldaña continues to navigate motherhood with grace and determination.
