Namely, Saldana, who is the mother of 11-year-old twins Cy and Bowie and 9-year-old Zen, told Page Six that it is difficult to protect the boys from what she described as a strong and intrusive external influence while preserving their tenderness and building resilience.
"There is so much noise around us, and that noise is very present and persuasive. It is really hard to protect them from all of that while helping them keep tender hearts and keeping their minds resilient," she stated.
For her, raising sons is further complicated because she is raising "men of color, sons of immigrants, and American men." The actress, who is of Dominican and Puerto Rican descent, and whose husband Marco Perego comes from Italy, emphasizes that she is proud of her sons' heritage, but ultimately just wants them to grow up to be normal and well-mannered people.
"Men are delicate flowers. They can be very resilient, but they are also very tender. My mission is to preserve that for them," she said.
Last year, in her speech while accepting the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film "Emilia Perez" (2025), Saldana dedicated the award to her husband and sons.
"My husband, with that beautiful hair, the greatest honor in my life is being your partner. You are responsible for our beautiful children, Cy, Bowie, and Zen. They fill our sky with stars every day," she said at the time.
Incidentally, Zoe Saldana has been included on the Time 100 list of the world's most influential people for 2026. Her longtime collaborator, director James Cameron, described her as a "phenomenon."
"For all of us who know her, she is the most graceful, most loyal, kindest, and most protective person, mother, wife, friend. Zoe walks through her life and work with grace and beauty, lifting all of us she touches," Cameron wrote.