Asalia Nazario: Who is Zoe Saldana’s mother?

Asalia Nazario is the mother of American actress Zoe Saldana. Asalia Nazario’s daughter is known for playing the roles of Lieutenant Uhura in the reboot of “Star Trek” (2009) and its sequels, Gamora in Marvel Cinematic Universe films, and the Na’vi heroine, Neytiri, in James Cameron’s box office behemoth, “Avatar” (2009).

Asalia Nazario: Bio Summary

Zoe Saldana’s mother confused her with Thandiwe Newton

Asalia Nazario was born in Puerto Rico and she was living as a child with her mother in the Dominican Republic, but they migrated to New York to escape political unrest. However, her daughter Zoe was born in Passaic, New Jersey with her ex-husband Aridio Saldaña. Zoe Saldana’s mother has been instrumental in the actress’s career, but interestingly, there was a time she confused her daughter with another actress. Zoe is not the only child of her mother- She has two other siblings- Who are Mariel Saldaña Nazario and Cisley Saldaña Nazario.

ALSO, READ; Aridio Saldaña: How did Zoe Saldana’s father die?

The actress confirmed in an interview with Wired that she is Dominican and Puerto Rican and was raised bilingual in English and Spanish with the latter being their first language at home. With regard to her racial identity, Zoe Saldaña has also said that- “There’s no one way to be Black. I’m Black the way I know how to be.”

Fans were surprised when the actress revealed in an interview with talk show host James Corden that her mother confused her with actress Thandiwe Newton. Saldana revealed her mother, Asalia Nazario was convinced she starred in the 2016 sci-fi series “Westworld,” which she did not. It was her look-alike Thandiwe Newton who played Maeve Millay in the series.

ALSO, READ; Nyasha Newton: Who is Thandiwe Newton’s mother?

Zoe Saldana’s father Aridio Saldaña died when she was young

The majority of the actress’s early childhood was spent in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City. However, things took a different turn for the family. Asalia Nazario’s husband Aridio Saldaña died in a vehicle crash when the Guardian of the Galaxy actress was just nine. A mother who wanted the best for her daughter sent the three sisters to their father’s home country -The Dominican Republic to be raised by their late father’s family. Nazario stayed back in New York to work in order to afford private school for the girls.

ALSO, READ; Who is Mariel Saldaña Nazario, Zoe Saldana’s sister?

Asalia Nazario Worked lots of jobs to provide for her girls

Zoe Saldana’s mother, Asalia Nazario, worked long hours as a courtroom translator and a hotel maid to support them. “She’s the goddess of ‘I could give two shits about what you have to say about me; I do it all my way,” The Avatar actress says admiringly. Zoe Saldana also said she’s forever indebted to her mother for all her sacrifices to ensure she and her siblings had a good life. “I come from a family of women. Of tough women, not in a bad way, just resilient, and strong, and determined, and super-opinionated.” -The actress said about her Mother and two siblings admitting she has a strong bond with them.

Zoe Saldana never misses a chance to show her gratitude to her mother. The Dominican-American actress took to her social media to show her gratitude to her mother Asalia Nazario in a post. She wrote alongside a photo of her mother Asalia Nazario standing over three director’s chairs with each of her daughter’s names.

“You protect us, guide us, and nurture our every inquiry. Through the thick of it all you manage to smile and face the universe with an open heart, Your mother raised you well @asaliasaldana and now you get to show her just how powerful you are. Thank you mother! We will always remain your most apt pupils and biggest fans.“

Asalia Nazario’s daughter has their own production company Cinestar and has produced many projects together, including the NBC miniseries Rosemary’s Baby and AOL digital series My Hero. While her daughter is active on social media, Nazario also has an Instagram account with a few posts. As of this writing, she has 2,339 followers.

ALSO, READ; Cisely Saldana: Everything About Zoe Saldana’s sister

Asalia Nazario found Love again

Zoe Saldana’s mother Nazario found love again after her daughter’s father passed away. The widowed mother Asalia married Dagoberto Galán, who became the stepfather of the girls. They consider him fully their father and he also accepts them as daughters. Zoe Saldana is also married to Marco Perego Saldana. The two got married in 2013 and have three children from their marriage.