Zoe Saldaña Reflects on First Kiss, Celebrity Crushes, and Career Milestones

Zoe Saldaña, known for her iconic roles in blockbuster films, recently opened up about her personal life and career achievements during an interview with W Magazine for their "Best Performances of 2024" series. The Emilia Pérez star shared details about her first kiss, childhood crushes, and her excitement over career recognition.

Saldaña, 46, revealed that her first kiss "was with a girl" when she was around 13 or 14 years old. Reflecting on her youthful experiences, she said, "I was that girl who said, 'Let's play house.' So I was already kissing a whole bunch of girls by the time I was 13, 14. Girls are such better kissers."

The actress also discussed her early celebrity crushes, naming Prince and Annie Lennox as her inspirations. "There was just something androgynous about them," Saldaña shared. "I love a woman who’s masculine and a man who is feminine. I find that to be really sexy."

Saldaña is currently celebrating a major career milestone with her first Golden Globe and Critics' Choice Award nominations for her supporting role in the Netflix musical Emilia Pérez. "It feels overwhelmingly beautiful," she told PEOPLE. "I didn't know how much I wanted it because I stopped thinking that it would ever happen for someone like me. My heart is full of gratitude."

The actress also shared the special moment of telling her family about the Golden Globe nomination, noting, "I woke up my mom. My husband was awake, so I connected with him first and foremost."

Saldaña stars alongside Karla Sofía Gascón and Selena Gomez in Emilia Pérez, which leads this year’s Golden Globe nominations with ten nods. Both Gascón and Gomez also earned acting nominations, with Gomez competing in the same category as Saldaña.

Saldaña has been married to artist Marco Perego since 2013, and the couple shares three sons: twins Cy and Bowie, 10, and Zen, 7.

Catch Emilia Pérez, now streaming on Netflix, and see why Saldaña’s performance is earning her well-deserved accolades.