Zoe Saldaña’s Controversial Way of Raising Her 3 Sons Proves Lioness Season 2 Star Isn’t Scared to Defy Norms in Real Life Too

Widely recognized for her work in movies including Avatar, Avengers: Infinity War, Guardians of the Galaxy, and more, actress Zoe Saldaña is one of the highest-grossing lead actresses in the industry. Time Magazine named her one of the most influential people in the world in 2023. Saldaña’s work as Gamora in Marvel Cinematic Universe is highly acknowledged by the critics and the audience.

Saldaña recently appeared in the musical-crime movie Emilia Pèrez along with Selena Gomez and was highly lauded at the Cannes Film Festival. The actress also appears in Paramount+’s spy series Special Ops: Lioness, in which she plays the lead role of a CIA officer. Apart from being one of the most talented actresses, Saldaña is also a dotting mother to her three sons, and her parenting style is as unique as hers.

Zoe Saldaña opens up about having a ‘gender-neutral’ environment at home

Marvel actress Zoe Saldaña met Italian artist Marco Perego in 2013 on a flight to New York, and it was love at first sight for the couple. The actress shared she was skeptical about love at first sight because she’s very logical, but she does not have an explanation about how she felt about her now husband when she saw him for the first time.

Saldaña shared with The Hollywood Reporter in 2014 that she had known of Perego’s work since 2008. The two of them married in September 2013 in an intimate secret ceremony. The couple welcomed their twin boys; Cy Aridio and Bowie Ezio in 2014, and their third in 2016, Zen Anton Hilario. Back in 2018, in a conversation with People, the actress shared that the duo has to keep reminding their twins to not forget their little brother. She explained,

We’re in a constant Groundhog Day where we’re repeating the same messages of compassion: ‘Don’t forget about little brother’. I mean, he’s not a pushover, so that’s a good thing. But it’s really hard to be the little brother to two twin older brothers. They’re identical twins, and they’re really attached at the hip, and their connection is really majestic. Zen is really persistent.

The actress had also acknowledged that she believes in raising the kids in a ‘gender-fluid’ environment. Time’s Up movement is what inspired her to change her parenting style. She said she and her husband find the entire notion of matriarchy and patriarchy—Daddy’s little girl and Mama’s boy—ludicrous and unhealthy for the upbringing of a child. (via People)

You’re giving them a very distorted and limited view of what a female role is supposed to be in a family and what a male role is supposed to be. We have a very gender-neutral environment where my husband participates in a lot of tasks that were normally given to women and vice versa. I think it’s important to raise boys in that environment and girls as well.

Zoe Saldaña noted that she’s always going to be honest, and that is always the best way to welcome a healthy, truthful discourse, especially when it comes to parenthood. She had mentioned that the first thing she taught her boys while raising them was to be nice. (via US Weekly)

Zoe Saldaña explains how Time’s Up changed her parenting style

The actress, who in her conversation had mentioned that the Time’s Up movement that shook the entire world, helped her to reflect on her parenting style and change it. She noted at the time that a lot of men who were called out at the time as abusers had prominent female figures in their lives who raised them.

Zoe Saldaña added that either the women overlooked something that they shouldn’t have or encouraged something they shouldn’t have in their sons. She also mentioned that female mothers are just as much at fault as fathers would be, irrespective of whether they were present or not in the distorted image that males have had of females. (via People)

Women were never encouraged by our societies or cultures to work as a team. We were always separated and raised to believe that you have to be competitive with other females. This unity is allowing the support that we all finally needed to move on and run businesses and be in positions of power.

The movement helped her to reflect on her parenting style and present an equal image of male and female for her boys to understand the dynamics of the world. The couple is protective of their kids and is focused on giving them the best life. This also goes onto show that the actress is not just a Lioness on-screen who is ready to take on new challenges in life but also in real life.

Special Ops: Lioness season 2 is scheduled for October 27,2024 premiere.