Zoe Saldana reveals she was once told by a producer that he only hired her because she looked good in 'panties' as she urges 'every young girl' to fight back against sexism

  • The 37-year-old actress said that the producer in question told her she wasn't hired for her 'opinions'
  • She did not reveal the identity of the producer – or the name of the movie in question 
  • Zoe used weapons while wearing underwear in the 2011 film Columbiana, which was produced by Luc Besson and Pierre-Ange Le Pogam

By Carly Stern For Dailymail.com

Published: 17:12 EST, 9 July 2015 | Updated: 18:43 EST, 9 July 2015

It helps to be gorgeous in Hollywood, but Zoe Saldana doesn't want her stunning features and amazing body to be the only reasons she gets roles - and she certainly doesn't want to be belittled because of them.

Which is why it was such a nasty shock for the 37-year-old to be told by a certain Hollywood producer that her only value was how she looked when she was half-naked and firing a weapon.

'A producer once told me he hired me for the way I held a gun while wearing panties, not for my opinions,' she revealed in a recent interview with the Philadelphia Daily News. 'I wish I’d recorded it, so I could play it for every girl in elementary school and tell them never to let anybody treat them that way.

Scroll down for video 

Seriously sexist: A producer once told Zoe Saldana that she was only hired for how she looked holding a gun in panties - as she did in the 2011 film Columbiana

Seriously sexist: A producer once told Zoe Saldana that she was only hired for how she looked holding a gun in panties - as she did in the 2011 film Columbiana

Fierce feminist: The 37-year-old actress said she wishes she had recorded the nasty remark as evidence of how no man should ever speak to a woman

Fierce feminist: The 37-year-old actress said she wishes she had recorded the nasty remark as evidence of how no man should ever speak to a woman

While Zoe didn't specify which producer fed her this line, the actress did appear holding two guns while wearing only lingerie in the 2011 film Columbiana, which was produced by Luc Besson and Pierre-Ange Le Pogam.

However, in an interview published on the day of the film's release, Luc had only positive things to say about the star's abilities and input.

'Her work in Avatar was pretty impressive, first, physically. Very impressive with emotions,' he told Moviefone.com. 'I knew that she had the capacity for sure. And I met her and the girl is great. As a human being, she's great: she wants to work, she wants to learn, she asks the right questions.' 

The offender? Luc Besson (pictured) co-produced the movie Columbiana, in which Zoe stripped down and fired off two guns
The offender? Luc Besson co-produced the movie Columbiana (pictured), in which Zoe stripped down and fired off two guns

The offender? Luc Besson (left) co-produced the movie Columbiana (right), in which Zoe stripped down and fired off two guns

Svelte star: While Zoe is undoubtedly gorgeous, she understandably doesn't want to be told that it is the source of all of her worth

Svelte star: While Zoe is undoubtedly gorgeous, she understandably doesn't want to be told that it is the source of all of her worth

Zoe also made headlines discussing sexism last month - though at the time, it was double standards against men that caused her to speak out. 

The Guardians of the Galaxy star married husband Marco Perego in 2013, but it recently came to light that her husband took her last name - a fact which many people criticized them for on the internet.

'Why is it so surprising, shocking, eventful that a man would take his wife’s surname?' she wrote in a Facebook post on June 8 to address the negative opinions. 'Men, you will not cease to exist by taking your partner’s surname. On the contrary you will be remember as a man who stood by change. [sic]'

Secure man: In 2013, Zoe married Marco Perego (right), who, it was recently revealed, took her last name

Secure man: In 2013, Zoe married Marco Perego (right), who, it was recently revealed, took her last name

Starting a family: The couple have twin sons, Cy and Bowie, who were born in November

Starting a family: The couple have twin sons, Cy and Bowie, who were born in November

Despite facing those sexist comments, Zoe said that she was glad that her husband becoming a 'Saldana' opened up a conversation, since it might help change others' minds about the tradition of a woman taking a man's name upon marriage.

'For men to be discriminated and picked on for wanting to take on their partner's name, for their masculinity to be put into question, I think it's disgusting. It shouldn't be that way,' she told ET Online.

In fact, Zoe thinks that Marco taking her name - which is, arguably, more important for her career - sets an excellent example for the couple's twin sons, Cy and Bowie, who were born in November. She said that the secure gesture will will show their boys that they have a 'great man' for a father.

Comments (84)

Share what you think

 View all

The comments below have not been moderated.

 View all

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now