Zoe Saldaña said she regretted not fully understanding her character Gamora’s arc and where she stood in the Marvel Cinematic Universe while filming, and that she wished she could redo her portrayal.
Saldaña explained that she didn’t fully understand Anthony and Joe Russo’s overall vision while she was filming Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame and would have liked to have been more aware of her character’s story and issues with her father, so she could have brought it into her performance.
“I wish I could go back and reshoot what Gamora was going through in the Avengers movies,” Saldaña told Variety’s Tiana DeNicola for a game of Know Their Lines.
“I was not quite understanding what the Russo Brothers were doing. They are excellent filmmakers and the opportunity they gave me was of a lifetime. To highlight Gamora in such a way in their films is something I’ll always be grateful for.
“I wish I could go back and redo it, so I could push a little harder because it was such a great opportunity to play a daughter having issues with a dad and whether or not she is having this opportunity to reconciliate or to simply just walk away. That would’ve been a great opportunity had I been a little more aware of it then.”
Saldaña played Gamora in James Gunn’s 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy and reprised her role in two Guardians of the Galaxy sequels in 2017 and 2023 as well as the Avengers films.
In Infinity War, Gamora’s role is particularly crucial as she is killed by the Big Bad and adoptive father Thanos, so he can obtain the Soul Stone.
An alternate version of Gamora from a different timeline joins the Avengers in Endgame to defeat Thanos, and then rejoin the Guardians.
“I know it is a Marvel movie, and we don’t like to use words like ‘deep’ and ‘Marvel’ in the same sentence, but I like to, and I take great pride in knowing that I was a part of great films that cater to a younger audience and inspire a younger audience,” Saldaña continued about her time with Marvel.
She said what Gunn was doing with her character and the rest of the Guardians “was something really special”.
“We were supposed to be these rejects that came with childhood traumas and disabilities and mental issues. He gave these characters space to be loved and to find a family within their friendship,” she said.
“It was a really important film now that I look back on it.”
Earlier this year, Saldaña said it would be a “huge loss for Marvel” if they didn’t find a way to bring back the Guardians of the Galaxy, and that they should bring a new actor to play Gamora.
“I think that she is gone for good for me but I don’t think Gamora has gone for good,” she said on The Playlist’s podcast titled “Discourse”.
“I would think it would be a huge loss for Marvel if they didn’t find a way to bring back the Guardians of the Galaxy.”
