Zoe admits that being questioned about her ethnicity annoys her. If pressed, she’ll declare herself a Blatino, a mix of African and Latin Roots, but she rather not say.
ZOË: The fact that I have to say that means I’m labeling myself. Unfortunately it’s the kind of thing that you sometimes have to share in order for people to stay connected to you. People tell me all the time, ‘I had no idea you spoke Spanish. I thought you were black.”…
To read the rest of the article, you have to pick up the magazine!!
BTW, this magazine is really good. I got a subscription after the first issue and I love it. I already posted the fashion spread they did with the past Top Model girls, but they also have other very good articles in there. Visit the website…
More ZOË pics, after the jump…
STFU MrsCookieNzima and go suck your husband’s black dick. You jungle fevered bitch.
131-133 Hey Gianni, guess what, you are dark skinned because AFRICANS came to ITALY. (Hannibal anyone?) I’m not saying you’re black, because clearly you’re Italian, but I AM saying that MANY SOUTHERN ITALIANS (Sicilians, etc.) have African ancestry even it’s wayyyyy back, and that’s why so many Italians have issues with black folks.
Guys,let me add some info, I’m of white cuban decent. The truth is that latin & hispanic term only applys here in The United States. Even though I am White I’m lumped into the hispanic catergory as well because I’m Cuban. If I was in Cuba, Puerto Rico, or Spain. I’m White. If Zoe was in Cuba, Puerto Rico or Spain, She’s Black. So it’s more of a cultural thing, like when an individual of Indian decent from the carribean (trinidad) says that there indo-carribean.
Hope this helped.
CONCRETE LOOP…THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING AND SHARING WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT…
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK
JEWEL
it’s a sad and appaulling fact that it’s easy to say that a person who states they are part black and whatever is quickly dissed and claimed to be black.. yet when a person who doesn’t automatically look black but looks white like wentworth miller and states to be part black is automatically percieved as black..at the end of the day colour is only skin deep.let people say what they are without criticising.
Zoe Saldana is a good looking latina and latinos are not a race, we are a ethnic group which is diffrent and we can be white or black or brown or red what ever but were latinos. Latinos are people that have blood of latin people which are the france, spain, italian and any romance speaking people or blood. My last name is Saldana and it is a jew surname from spain. there even a town in spain that is called saldana. Saldana in italian is saldino.
“Guys,let me add some info, I’m of white cuban decent. The truth is that latin & hispanic term only applys here in The United States. Even though I am White I’m lumped into the hispanic catergory as well because I’m Cuban. If I was in Cuba, Puerto Rico, or Spain. I’m White. If Zoe was in Cuba, Puerto Rico or Spain, She’s Black. So it’s more of a cultural thing, like when an individual of Indian decent from the carribean (trinidad) says that there indo-carribean.
Hope this helped.”
No, it does not. If she were to be in the islands she would not be considered “blcak”, maybe in the Cuba of yesteryear, but not today. They don’t recognize racial classification in Cuban Socialism.
Latino is a race TO US, maybe not to the Americans (arrogantly read: “U.S.” as if the rest of us are not “Americans”)…….but, we perceive our own history through our OWN eyes, not the eyes of U.S. so-called “African-Americans” and so-called “Anglo-Americans”. Our history, culture and just about everything else is strikingly different than the U.S. perception of what is deemed “Black”. People weren’t called “Black” until the Europeans brought us over to the “New World”.
If Latino/as want to perceive their CULTURE as more important than “race”, this is their right. No one tells U.S. African-Americans what they should call themselves, so they most certainly cannot tell us what we should call ourselves.
U.S. people are extremely arrogant and they perceive that the rest of the world, no matter how different it may be, should follow suit. Please. They can keep their anger and murder each other as they have already been doing.
Zoe, you are the best. You are beautiful and inteligent and a hard working women. ZOE SALDANA YOU ARE THE BEST. And I love you just the way you are.
@ #11
Latinos don’t view the world like African Americans do. Don’t ASSUME that just because YOU say she is “black” that Latinos will have this same perception. “Black” was a LABEL created by Anglo-Americans to separate people of African descent. The consequent “one-drop” rule was employed to create MORE slaves out of people and ergo have a larger labor force.
Do NOT assume that Latinos subscribe to this way of thinking. She is “black” to YOU, but to many Latinos she is LATINA.
Funny how everyone is saying that she doesnt want to be Black she herself has said that she classifies her self as such, here read a quote from Zoe herself from IMDB:
When I go to the D.R., the press in Santo Domingo always asks, “¿Qué te consideras, dominicana o americana?” (What do you consider yourself, Dominican or American?) I don’t understand it, and it’s the same people asking the same question. So I say, time and time again, “Yo soy una mujer negra.” (“I am a black woman.”) [They go,] “Oh, no, tú eres trigueñita.” (“Oh no, you are ‘dark skinned’”) I’m like, “No! Let’s get it straight, yo soy una mujer negra.” (“I am a black woman.”)
So btw can we get over it already, huh?!? Great actress, beautiful BLACK woman, as she herself says.
Zoe Saldana is an Afro-Latina. Get it? She is not ‘black’ because ‘black’ is a color, not a culture. You can find many people who look ‘black’ in all areas of the world. Even Indians from South Asian are sometimes darker than any African American. But are they ‘black’? No, they are Indian. Just like Zoe Saldana is an Afro-Dominican, or Dominican. In the word “Dominican” it is already implied that she is African. It is also implied that she is Carribbean, she is American, she is Spanish, she is American Indian, she is French, she is Portuguese. Stop using the word ‘black’ to define someone, because you are forgetting the roots that person cherishes and loves. And in the meantime, ‘black’ people, call yourselves people of African descent. Cuz whether you were stolen, you escaped, or you flew here, you know the roots. Don’t deny Africa and expect someone not to deny ‘black.’
Oh, and big ups to Carrington in Houston. You are speaking the truth, and I’m happy you are intelligent AND cultured. People of African descent need to start reading more history books and stop trying to corner people into identifying as ‘black’ when ‘black’ doesn’t even exist. Its culture and tradition, not color that people experience.
Peace
she’s black ?
and here i thought she was just a very bright actress now i have to see her in the new star trek movie to check if she is black huh?
White people do talk about their heritage just like black people. Most white people claim to be irish in the same way that most black people claim to be native american. In fact most white people can trace their ancestry back centuries all down to the name, nationality, and trade, and they enjoy being able to do that. I personally wish I could say that, but I’m also proud to say that I am a black woman with a blinding, blazing bright future. It’s not where you’ve been, or even where you’re at, but it’s your destination that matters.
I don’t understand how all of you criticize her for saying that she is latina, because technically she is. She’s not trying to deny that she has african decent, she’s just sick of talking about it because people would rather talk about her ethnicity than her talent. Also same thing with Christina Millian, she is cuban, but has dark skin, she’s still latina. I am bi-racial, mom is hispanic, dad is black. But what bothers me the most is how all these black girls are always saying that they “got indian in their family.” Whatever!
Okay I typically don’t post my thoughts on these sorta blogs – most of the times they are filled with hatred ignorant commentary – but because I feel so attached to this particular topic, I felt compelled to add my 2 centavos.
American blacks are really a trip. Do you honestly think that if someone considers themself afro-latino… afro-hispanic or any name that acknowledges your latin roots.. you are not acknowledging your african heritage? Honestly, most Afro latin cultures are more connected to their AFRICAN roots simply because of the difference in history and the fact that the africans in the central and south american areas were able to preserve their connection. To constantly narrow your view of africans in this world by depositing them in that… silly ‘oh they are just black’ box… is not acknowledging the diversity of african people across the WORLD.
The bottom line is their are similarities that make us similar.. BUT their are fundamental differences as well. I myself am a mixture of african and latin roots. I acknowledge both and I don’t feel myself any better for it!
Black Americans for a good number of reasons.. .make a huggge friggin deal about race, culture, complexion, texture of hair..etc. more than I have noticed in other african/latin cultures. In parts of Central and South America.. being Mulatta is common and there is not this type of dissection of color, complexion, hair.
You know what else, I don’t care of some ignorant fool gets rubbed the wrong way by my post and rants and raves about whatever they feel like it or some wannabe intellect that tries to prove me wrong by offering and paraphrasing some new book they just bought.
I came to this country at 4 years old.. didn’t speak a lick of English.. and singled out by blacks in this country for not being ‘black enough’. My mother is a deep dark creamy beautiful chocolate brown, speaks with a thick caribbean/spanish accent and caught hell for it by american blacks… singling her out .. treating her as an outsider for no good reason. As soon as an African person is famous and well known.. THEN those ignorant black people come up outta the wood work and talk smack about how this person is black, etc etc…
Some of you ‘African Americans’ really do Africans from all over the world a disservice by reinforcing ignorant beliefs of non blacks held by people all over the world.