Hollywood star Zoe Saldaña has long been one of the strongest voices advocating for the recognition of motion capture acting — a revolutionary performance method that has shaped the Avatar film franchise. In a recent interview with Beyond Noise, Saldaña revealed that director James Cameron is “considering a documentary about the making of the Avatar movies” — an idea she fully supports.
For Saldaña, such a documentary could serve a much-needed purpose: giving audiences a clear understanding of why performance capture is one of the most empowering forms of acting in modern cinema.
“Performance Capture Is 100% Our Work”
Saldaña, who plays the iconic Na’vi warrior Neytiri in the Avatar saga, explained that motion capture allows actors to fully own their performances. Unlike traditional animation — where animators heavily influence movement and emotion — performance capture translates every nuance of an actor’s facial expression and body movement onto their digital counterparts.
“It gives us the credit, the ability to own 100 percent of our performance on screen,” Saldaña said. “With animation, you might record a few sessions in a studio and that’s it. But in performance capture, Avatar wouldn’t exist if Sigourney Weaver, Sam Worthington, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, myself, and the entire cast didn’t get up and put those dots on our faces.”
She further described how the process involves wearing motion capture suits, often called unitards, covered in reflective markers.
“We step into a ‘volume’ — that’s what we call the set — rigged with dozens of cameras on the ceiling,” she explained. “They’re all pointed toward the space that finds us, tracks our every move, and feeds that data into Pandora.”
The Making of ‘Avatar’: Years of Training and Transformation
Zoe Saldaña’s journey with Avatar began in 2009 with the release of the groundbreaking first film. The franchise later expanded with Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), and the upcoming sequel, Avatar: Fire and Ash, scheduled for release on December 19, 2025.
Each installment, according to Saldaña, requires years of preparation — not just in acting but in physical endurance and emotional commitment.
“It takes an average of seven years between each Avatar film,” she said. “From archery and martial arts to free diving and scuba training — we have to learn everything to perform authentically in that world.”
She revealed that the cast even trained to hold their breath underwater for over five minutes, a skill necessary for filming underwater sequences in The Way of Water. Cameron’s vision also demanded learning a completely new language and unique movement styles to embody the alien-like grace of the Na’vi.
“We worked with gymnasts, circus artists, and acrobats to learn how to walk and move like extraterrestrial beings,” Saldaña said. “It’s not just acting — it’s transformation. The stunt team deserves just as much credit for making our characters feel superhuman.”
Saldaña praised Cameron’s technological innovations for giving actors complete artistic control.
“With the technology that Jim creates, he gives the artist the power of complete ownership,” she said.
The Long Battle for Recognition
Despite the technical brilliance and artistry behind motion capture, Saldaña feels that major award bodies — particularly the Oscars — have been slow to recognize it as a legitimate acting category.
In a previous interview, she expressed disappointment over how performance capture is often overlooked or minimized during award seasons.
“Old habits die hard,” she said. “When you have old establishments, it’s really hard to bring forward change. I’m not bitter about it, but it’s deflating when you give 120 percent of yourself into something and still feel disregarded.”
Saldaña believes that a documentary — ideally directed by James Cameron — would finally help the film industry and audiences appreciate the complex artistry of performance capture.
“It will give us a chance to explain, in a meticulous way, why performance capture is the most empowering form of acting,” she said passionately.
James Cameron’s Support
Filmmaker James Cameron, who revolutionized visual storytelling with Avatar, has also spoken out in support of Saldaña’s performance and the art form as a whole.
In a past interview, Cameron highlighted the Oscar-worthy caliber of Saldaña’s portrayal of Neytiri.
“I’ve worked with Academy Award-winning actors,” he said. “And there’s nothing that Zoe’s doing that’s any less than that. But because she’s playing a CG character, it somehow doesn’t count, which makes no sense to me whatsoever.”
Cameron praised her ability to embody both emotional depth and physical intensity:
“She can go from regal to utterly feral in two seconds. She’s ferocious — a true lioness.”
His comments underline a growing conversation in Hollywood about the need to redefine what constitutes on-screen performance in the age of advanced digital filmmaking.
The Future of the ‘Avatar’ Franchise
Cameron’s Avatar universe continues to expand with multiple sequels in development. The next film, “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” will continue the story of Neytiri and Jake Sully (played by Sam Worthington), exploring new regions of Pandora and introducing fresh cultural and ecological themes.
Filming for the next installments is expected to continue simultaneously, with Cameron aiming to release the remaining two movies within the next decade.
For Saldaña, each film is a deep emotional experience. Having spent over 15 years as Neytiri, she describes her connection to the character as “personal and spiritual.”
“It’s not just acting — it’s a commitment to a world, to values about nature, unity, and balance,” she said. “And it’s something I’m deeply proud to be part of.”
Why a Documentary Could Change Everything
If James Cameron does move forward with the Avatar documentary, it could mark a turning point in how both the industry and the public view performance capture. Such a project would reveal the intense craftsmanship, discipline, and collaboration behind the seemingly effortless magic of Pandora.
It would also give due credit to the actors — like Saldaña — who push the boundaries of cinematic performance.
By merging cutting-edge technology with genuine emotion, Avatar has proven that motion capture is not just a tool — it’s an art form. And for Zoe Saldaña, it’s time the world truly recognized that.