To some extent, everyone is guilty of writing off actors and actresses who mainly star in blockbusters. To the cinephile, actors like Chris Pratt are viewed as less “important” than someone like Daniel Day-Lewis. And yes, we admit that we do this as well. But actress Zoe Saldana isn’t going to take it anymore. The “Avatar” and “Guardians of the Galaxy” actress is part of two of the most successful film franchises of all time, and just hates being looked down on because of the roles she’s chosen.
In an interview with Net-A-Porter, the actress had some strong words aimed at those that she deems “elitist.”
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“I’ve been in rooms with people in this industry who are great at what they do, but they’re absolutely elitist and they look down at movies like the Marvel films or actors like myself,” said Saldana. “They think we’re selling out in some way. Every time they speak I feel so disappointed in them because whenever you see pictures of people in this industry who donate their time to children in need, it’s these actors that live in the world that you feel is selling out.”
She continues, “That actor takes time out of their life and sits down with that five-year-old and says, ‘I see you, I hear you, and you matter. Those elitists should be a little more cognizant of what playing a superhero means to a young child. Because you’re not just dissing me, you’re dissing what that child considers important in their world.”
No matter what you think of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or any other superhero/popcorn film, you have to hand it to Saldana. She doesn’t try to defend the quality of the films or in some cases the lack thereof. Instead, she points out that those “elitists” aren’t the ones that the film is made for. It’s all about the kids, you see.
And she has a point. Every so often, you do see Chris Evans or Tom Holland don their super suits for a photo op and meeting at a hospital. Just the other day, Ben Affleck, aka Batman, just reached out to a young boy who is in hospice care. To kids, these aren’t actors, they’re Captain America, Spider-Man, and Batman.
Will these words change the mind of the people she’s referring to? Probably not. But she brings up a point that we, as film fans, often forget. These space battles and superhero epics aren’t for adults. They’ve always just been for the kids.
Saldana will next be seen in the upcoming “Avengers: Infinity War” on April 27.