Zoe Saldaña says parenting sons in a world filled with misogyny is tough.
“There’s so much noise out there, and that noise is very pervasive and very persuasive,” the “Avatar” actress, who is mom to three young boys, told Page Six exclusively at the 2026 Time 100 Gala Thursday.
Saldaña, who shares 11-year-old twins Cy and Bowie as well as Zen, 9, with artist Marco Perego, confessed that it’s challenging to shield her boys “away from that noise and keep their little hearts gentle and soft” while also “keep[ing] their minds resilient.”
Zoe Saldaña opened up to Page Six about the challenges of raising three sons in today’s world at the 2026 Time 100 Gala Thursday. Page Six
The “Avatar” actress shares twins Cy and Bowie, both 11, and 9-year-old Zen with husband Marco Perego. FilmMagic
Saldaña noted that she also has the hurdle of “raising men of color and sons of immigrants and American men.”
The “Guardians of the Galaxy” actress is of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent, while Perego was born in Italy.
Saldaña added that she takes “great pride” in her sons’ heritage but, at the end of the day, just wants them to “be absolute human beings.”
Saldaña, pictured above with her sons in 2025, said it’s hard to “keep their little hearts gentle and soft” while also “keep[ing] their minds resilient.” FilmMagic
The “Guardians of the Galaxy” actress, pictured with her family above in 2024, added that she believes “men are delicate flowers.” FilmMagic
“And I do believe that men are delicate flowers,” she continued. “That can be really resilient, but they’re so gentle. So I’m literally just preserving that for them.”
Saldaña shouted out her husband and their sons last year while accepting the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role in “Emilia Pérez” in 2025.
Giving her other half, Marco Perego, whom she married in 2013, a shout-out, Saldana continued, “And to my husband with that beautiful hair, the biggest honor in my life is being your partner.
Saldaña, pictured above at the 2025 Academy Awards, shouted out Perego and their sons while accepting the Best Supporting Actress trophy. AFP via Getty Images
Saldaña said being Perego’s partner is “the biggest honor in my life” and said their sons “fill our skies every night with stars” in her Oscars acceptance speech. The couple is pictured above at the 2026 Time 100 Gala. Kevin MazurGetty Images for TIME
“You hung the moon in our beautiful, perfect sons Cy, Bowie, and Zen,” she continued. “They fill our skies every night with stars.”
Saldaña was honored in Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2026 list, with director James Cameron describing her in an essay as a “phenomenon.”
“To those close to her, she is the most gracious, loyal, loving, and fiercely protective mother, wife, friend, and all-around incredible human being we know,” he wrote. “In her work and in life, Zoe moves through the world with grace and beauty, elevating all of us whom she touches.”