Zoe Saldana is known for her ability to transform herself for roles – a willowy ballerina in "Center Stage" or a cold-hearted assassin in "Colombiana" – but in her latest film the Dominican actress shows off a softer side as a teacher torn between love and duty.
"Out of the Furnace" is a touching film about one Russell Baze (Bale), whose life and identity revolves around his work at a steel mill in Pennsylvania's Rust Belt. But when a cruel twist in events changes Baze's life as he knows it, his family and love (Saldana) are impacted forever. The movie opens with a troubling depiction of domestic violence; a scene which sets the stage for a movie with themes across love, loyalty, the decline of America's blue collar tradition and the pressure to forge one's future – all themes which Saldana explains she finds particularly suited for the big screen.
With that sentiment in mind, Saldana felt free to go without makeup as Lena, a school teacher in the humble town of Braddock, Pennsylvania. Saldana – who has famously undergone scrutiny about her weight – said that daring to go bare on camera was actually part of a larger statement regarding her commitment to staying in character.
And if there's one thing that ultimately attracted Saldana to join the cast of "Out of the Furnace," — which opens in theaters nationwide on Dec. 7 — it was the way that the small-town living is depicted in the film. Saldana herself spent part of her childhood in the Dominican Republic; an experience she credits for shaping her as an actress and woman.
That's why Saldana has set her eye on creating films aimed at Latinos, explaining that she wants to "make great films that people can enjoy and see themselves in." The actress – who owns the production company Saldana Studios with her two sisters – recently announced a partnership with Pantelion Films, a major film studio with whom she intends to develop TV and movie projects aimed at Hispanic audiences.
"My sisters have exquisite taste and they know good material, the same way they know a good purse or pair of shoes," explains Saldana of working with her sisters. "We are going to be that way when it comes to movies that appeal to Latinos and depict them as a part of America." And while Saldana isn't shrugging off the possibility of starring in one of the upcoming films, she says she's in no rush to exchange acting for any other job.