When people see Zoe Saldaña lighting up the big screen in Avatar, Guardians of the Galaxy, or the award-winning Emilia Pérez, they see a global superstar with talent, discipline, and charisma. What they don’t always see, however, are the roots that shaped her — the parents who gave her both strength and softness, love and resilience.
Behind Zoe’s journey from a little girl in Queens to one of Hollywood’s most respected actresses are two key figures: her Puerto Rican mother, Asalia Nazario, and her Dominican father, Aridio Saldaña. Their love, sacrifices, and cultural heritage laid the foundation for Zoe’s success and the values she carries to this day.
This is the story of Asalia and Aridio — their love, their loss, their struggles, and the legacy they built through their daughters.
Early Life of Zoe and Her Parents
Zoe Yadira Saldaña Nazario was born on June 19, 1978, in Passaic, New Jersey. Her mother, Asalia Nazario, had migrated from Puerto Rico with hopes of building a better life, while her father, Aridio Saldaña, came from the Dominican Republic with similar dreams.
Like many immigrant families in the U.S., they worked hard to provide a stable home for their children. They raised their three daughters — Mariel, Zoe, and Cisely — in Queens, New York, where the household was both bilingual and bicultural. Spanish and English mixed freely in daily life, and traditions from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic blended seamlessly at family gatherings.
From the very beginning, Zoe grew up in an environment where education, respect, and independence were emphasized. Both parents wanted their daughters to feel empowered, and Zoe often recalls being taught that she could do anything a man could do. This belief system would later define her confidence as a woman working in a competitive industry like Hollywood.
A Father’s Sudden Death
But life was not always kind to the Saldaña family. In 1987, when Zoe was only nine years old, tragedy struck. Her father, Aridio, was killed in a car accident.
The loss was devastating. For Zoe and her sisters, their father had been the family’s anchor — a man full of joy, laughter, and protectiveness. She often remembers his open-mouthed laugh, a signature trait that she and her sisters inherited. Losing him so young was not just painful; it changed the entire course of their lives.
In interviews, Zoe has described the immediate aftermath of his death as a time when “everything that should have been colorful suddenly became grey.” Her mother, overwhelmed by grief, struggled to keep the family afloat. For little Zoe, the tragedy was an early lesson in the fragility of life.
A Mother’s Sacrifice
After Aridio’s death, Asalia was left as a single parent with three young daughters. Life in New York during the late 1980s was difficult, especially for a widow raising children alone. Concerned for her daughters’ safety and wanting them to grow up in a healthier environment, Asalia made a painful but practical decision: she sent the girls to live with their grandparents in the Dominican Republic.
During that time, Asalia stayed in New York, working multiple jobs — as a hotel maid and as a courtroom translator — to earn enough money to support her daughters from afar. She would often alternate between living with them in the Dominican Republic for a year and returning to New York the next, just to make ends meet.
This period of separation was tough for the family, but it also became one of the defining experiences of Zoe’s childhood. Life in the Dominican Republic was very different from New York. There was no winter, no Santa Claus, no grapes or apples — instead, mangoes and guavas filled the fruit baskets. For young Zoe, every change was an adjustment, and each day brought new challenges.
But she also found beauty there. It was in the Dominican Republic that Zoe discovered her love for dance and the performing arts. To keep her daughters busy and focused, Asalia enrolled them in ballet and dance classes. For Zoe, this became the seed of her artistic journey.
The Role of Stepfather Dagoberto Galán
In time, Asalia found love again. She married Dagoberto Galán, a Dominican man who became a stepfather to Zoe and her sisters. But to the Saldaña sisters, Dagoberto was never just a stepfather. Zoe has openly said she considers him a “dad” in every sense of the word, praising his patience, humor, and wisdom.
“He’s our kind of crazy beautiful,” Zoe once said, explaining why she and her sisters have never called him “stepdad.” He joined the family during a time of healing and gave them stability, love, and the feeling of having a father figure once more.
Asalia: Zoe’s Hero
Throughout Zoe’s life, her mother has remained her biggest role model. In 2014, Zoe even dedicated the first episode of her AOL series My Hero to Asalia, saying there was no question about who inspired her most.
“As a parent, she put us first — and we lost a parent, so she had to become those two anchors in our lives,” Zoe said.
She admired Asalia not only for working tirelessly but also for allowing her daughters to be independent thinkers. Unlike some parents who try to live through their children, Asalia gave Zoe and her sisters the freedom to explore their own paths. She didn’t pressure them to be something they weren’t; instead, she supported their individuality.
This freedom gave Zoe the courage to pursue acting, even when it seemed uncertain.
Keeping Her Father’s Memory Alive
Even as she celebrates her mother, Zoe never forgets her father. Aridio’s influence remains strong in her life. When she became a mother herself in 2014, Zoe named one of her twin sons Cy Aridio Perego-Saldaña, honoring her late father.
She often recalls his protectiveness and his laughter, saying these small memories keep him alive in her heart.
How Their Values Shaped Zoe’s Career
The strength, resilience, and cultural pride Zoe inherited from her parents are evident in the roles she chooses and the way she carries herself in Hollywood.
Her mother’s emphasis on education and independence pushed her to be disciplined and professional, while her father’s warmth and laughter instilled in her the ability to connect deeply with audiences.
When Zoe starred in Center Stage, her ballet background — which her mother had encouraged — played a huge role. Later, as she became the face of sci-fi blockbusters like Avatar and Guardians of the Galaxy, Zoe admitted her mom’s curiosity about the unknown and love of stories like 2001: A Space Odyssey shaped her own taste for the genre.
Even her Oscar-winning role in Emilia Pérez in 2025 was, in many ways, a reflection of the foundation her parents built for her. On stage, as she held the golden statue, she dedicated the moment to her immigrant parents, saying proudly:
“I am a proud child of immigrant parents with dreams and dignity and hardworking hands.”
A Family of Strong Women
Asalia and Aridio’s legacy lives on not just through Zoe, but also through her sisters. The three women remain incredibly close, even co-founding Cinestar Pictures, a production company dedicated to telling stories from a female perspective.
Their bond, rooted in the values their parents instilled, is proof that despite hardship, the family’s love never wavered.
Conclusion: The Real Stars Behind Zoe Saldaña
When audiences watch Zoe Saldaña command the screen, they are witnessing not only her talent but also the love and sacrifices of her parents.
Her father, Aridio, may have been taken too soon, but his memory continues to guide her. Her mother, Asalia, through unwavering resilience and love, remains her greatest hero. And with the addition of her stepfather, Dagoberto Galán, the Saldaña sisters grew up surrounded by strength, humor, and support.
In Zoe’s own words, she has been “exceptionally loved by imperfect people.” And perhaps that is the most beautiful gift a child can receive — a love strong enough to carry her through tragedy and push her toward greatness.
Today, every time Zoe steps on a stage, accepts an award, or plays a role that inspires millions, she carries with her the spirit of Asalia and Aridio — the parents who made her who she is.