Getty Zoe Saldana and Nichelle Nichols at an event in 2009.
While the world waits to see if and when the cast of the J.J. Abrams “Star Trek” movies will return for a fourth adventure, Zoe Saldana is keeping busier than ever. The actress, who plays Nyota Uhura in the current big-screen incarnations of “Star Trek,” will be seen this fall in the Netflix series “From Scratch” and David O’Russell’s star-studded feature film “Amsterdam,” and then this winter in the long-gestating first “Avatar” sequel, “Avatar: The Way of Water.” According to the Internet Movie Database, she has also wrapped the film “Keyhole Garden,” directed and co-written by her husband, Marco Perego Saldana, and “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3.”
“From Scratch,” based on Tembi Locke’s memoir of the same name, is set to stream on October 21, 2022. A synopsis provided to the media by Netflix reads as follows: “Inspired by the memoir, From Scratch is a cross-cultural love story that follows Amahle “Amy” Wheeler (played by Zoe Saldaña) an American student studying abroad in Italy, as she meets and falls in love with Lino (Eugenio Mastrandrea), a Sicilian chef. Their whirlwind romance faces many unforeseen challenges, including their very different cultural backgrounds. But when Lino is faced with unimaginable health challenges and the couple’s future is threatened, the two families come together to create an extended family unlike any they could have imagined, proving that love crosses all borders.”
The Netflix Series ‘From Scratch’ Is Just One of Saldana’s Many Upcoming Projects
NetflixZoe Saldana in the poster for “From Scratch.”
Saldana, speaking to People Magazine for their September 5, 2022, edition, explained that a dinner date with Reese Witherspoon led to her participation in “From Scratch,” her first starring role in a television show. “She saw the dynamic between my husband (Italian artist Marco Perego Saldana) and me and called me the next day to tell me about this book,” Saldana told the magazine. “The story is timeless — and that was moving to me. I would laugh at all the things that she, as a woman who is not Italian marrying a very Italian man, went through. It’s an ongoing thing for me!”
On October 7, two weeks before “From Scratch” begins streaming, moviegoers will be able to catch Saldana in David O’Russell’s new film, “Amsterdam.” She co-stars in the drama with Anya Taylor-Joy, Margot Robbie, Christian Bale, Michael Shannon, Rami Malek, Mike Myers, John David Washington, Timothy Olyphant, Chris Rock, Andrea Riseborough, Matthias Schoenaerts, Alessandro Nivola, Taylor Swift, and a pair of “Star Trek” guest stars: Dey Young and Leland Orser.
The actress is also active on social media, and on August 1, 2022, she took to Instagram to pay tribute to Nichelle Nichols, who originated the role of Uhura on “Star Trek: The Original Series.” Nichols died on July 30, 2022, at the age of 89. The two women had met on a couple of occasions, and Nichols had given her blessing to Saldana’s casting in the role.
Saldana Called the Late Nichelle Nichols, Who Preceded Her in the Role of Uhura, a ‘QUEEN’
“I’m saddened to learn of Nichelle Nichols’ passing,” Saldana wrote. “We have lost a true star, a unique artist who was ahead of her time always. She’s an icon, an activist and most importantly an amazing woman who blazed a trail that has shown so many how to see women of color in a different light. Her strive for equality was unwavering. Meeting Nichelle was truly a very special moment in my life. Her energy was infectious every time I was in her presence. She convinced me in believing that anything was achievable, if you put your heart into it. I mean, she inspired Mae Jemison to follow her dreams of becoming an astronaut and that’s exactly what Mae did. I knew I had big shoes to fill when I was chosen to play Uhura, and Nichelle made me feel safe, told me to play her with all the confidence in the world.
“My hope is that we continue to keep her memory alive by celebrating her amazing body of work, and by spreading the message of peace and equality amongst all people,” Saldana’s Instagram post continued. “She lived a long, impactful life and not only prospered but helped so many others prosper too. Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I agree with this statement with the exception of Nichelle Nichols. It’ll be hard to forget what she said and hard to forget what she did, and it will certainly be impossible to forget how she made us feel. REST IN POWER QUEEN NICHELLE.”