Time’s list of the 100 Most Influential People of 2026 is officially here, and this Star Trek alum certainly deserves to be recognized by the publication. To Trekkies around the world, actress Zoe Saldana shall always hold a special place in our hearts as the Kelvin Timeline’s Nyota Uhura, and now she has been officially recognized as a Titan by Time.
“So ... How to describe the phenomenon that is Zoe Saldaña?” James Cameron posed the question during a brief write-up for Time. “An Academy Award–winning actor, she has starred in films that together have grossed more than those of any other actor in history, male or female. She is known to many by her vivid, non-human characters: the surly, deadpan Gamora and the ferocious warrior-mother Neytiri. 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.”
Cameron, who worked with Saldana as her director on all three Avatar films, continued to praise the actress by writing the following:
“Through her roles in Star Trek, Emilia Perez, and others, she celebrates her Afro-Latina roots with fierce pride and courageous dignity. She can shape-shift before our eyes from heartbreaking vulnerability to the strongest icon of female badassery ever seen. in her work and in life, Zoe moves through the world with grace and beauty, elevating all of us whom she touches. She is one of one in the universe, and I am grateful every day to be among her creative partners.”
Certainly, Saldana playing Lt. Uhura in Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness, and Star Trek Beyond is an important part of her storied career. However, her award-winning portrayal of Rita in Emilia Perez no doubt helped bolster her chances of being named a Titan on Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2026 list.
Saldana not only picked up the Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar at the 2025 ceremony, but she cleaned up during awards season with the following honors thanks to her work in Emilia Perez. These accolades undoubtedly secured her place as one of Time's Titans:
BAFTA: Best Supporting Actress.
Critics Choice: Best Supporting Actress.
Critics Choice: Best Song "El Mal."
Cannes Film Festival: Best Actress *shared with Karla Sofía Gascon, Selena Gomez, and Adriana Paz.
Golden Globes: Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture.
So many film fans around the globe already considered Saldana a Titan, even beyond Star Trek, given her incredible contributions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as one of The Guardians of the Galaxy, Gamora, in several of the most popular MCU entries.
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Live long and prosper, Trekkies!
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