ZOE SALDAÑA

The Way Of Water’s Neytiri comes up for air…

How has Neytiri changed in the years since we last saw her?

She’s evolved. She went from being someone that was completely guarded towards these invaders in her world, to falling in love with one. And now they have a family. So Jake and Neytiri are compromised in that way. And obviously the decisions that they make are always with that in mind.

How does Neytiri react to the return of the RDA?

It’s an ongoing struggle for her. How much love and respect must you have for a species that has no love and no respect for you? And also, how do you fall in love with one of them? How do you have children with that person? When does your love shut off, and your rage turn on? She’s just caught in this struggle.

Is Neytiri as tough on her kids as she was on Jake?

She’s just everything I would want to be in so many ways. Neytiri runs on pure instinct. It’s just a feeling. She’s not a pragmatic individual at all. She follows her heart. And she’ll die for these feelings. That is her parenting as well. It’s carnal. It’s instinctual. It’s primal. But also, when she’s challenged, it’s hard for her. She has to experience her own set of growing pains.

How useful was it for you to know where Neytiri is going in the sequels, particularly coming from the more secretive Marvel world?

You have no idea how respectful it is to an actor to know what’s going to happen. Jim is very generous with what he shares about what he’s building, because he wants you to build it with him. Once you know what the destination is, then you’re able to work backwards and solidify the decisions that you make in terms of “this is who she is right now”. Oh my God, you feel seen.