'I just felt really hooked': Zoe Saldana gushes over working with Ben Affleck in Live By Night as she covers Los Angeles Confidential

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Zoe Saldana's become best-known for science fiction franchises like Avatar, Guardians Of The Galaxy and the recent Star Trek reboot films.

So, before she starred in the upcoming Ben Affleck-directed Live By Night, 'I would never have considered gangster movies.'

But as she told Los Angeles Confidential, which she's covered for its Awards Season Special issue, she wound up asking herself: '"Why not do that?"'

'Why not do that?': Zoe Saldana dished to Los Angeles Confidential that before she appeared in Ben Affleck's period drama Live By Night, 'I would never have considered gangster movies'

Per her description, 'I just told myself: "Why not just work with Ben Affleck? Why not just play an Afro-Cuban that sells molasses to make rum in the 1920s in Florida?"'

Her photo-shoot for the magazine roughly reflected the film's setting in the 1920s and 1930s criminal underground of Miami.

The 38-year-old's curly hair fell free over an elaborately filly white dress as she posed in front of a large rusty gate, behind which was a garden with a decaying palm tree.

That garden sprawled in front of a shambolic house with a faded stone pillar on one end of the stained stairway leading up to its porch.

Magazine star: She'd covered the publication for its Awards Season Special

Another picture saw her lounging on the same steps, now in a flowing dress featuring pink baroque patterns swirling on a black field.

As she stretched her body out, the hem rode up to reveal her pencil thin legs. She grinned broadly, flinging her hair over one shoulder. 

She'd affixed a much more intense expression to her face when she strolled down a sidewalk next to a cobblestone lane.

Her voluminous orange evening gown was spattered all over with cross-hatched black designs that grew more frequent the farther up they went. 

Shambolic: The 38-year-old's role in the Dennis Lane adaptation is, as she described it, 'an Afro-Cuban that sells molasses to make rum in the 1920s in Florida'

The Passaic native expanded on preparing for her role as Graciella Corrales, recalling 'Trying to imagine that [1920s] America, how I would have been in that America, how I would have felt about that America, and how that America would have felt about me, I’m very happy that I did this intellectual pilgrimage.'

She had nothing but kind words for Affleck, who's also written, starred in and co-produced the adaptation of Dennis Lehane's eponymous 2012 novel.

'He just has a great deal of empathy for what we go through as actors,' she effused, 'so his dynamic on a set is much friendlier, much more relaxed, more levelled.'

As she reminisced, 'Every day, every scene, every conversation I would have with Ben, I just felt really hooked. Like: "Okay, whatever input I’m adding, he’s really considering it."'

Preparation: Her character made the actress 'imagine that [1920s] America, how I would have been in that America, how I would have felt about that America, and how that America would have felt about me'

The estranged husband of Jennifer Garner had similarly warm feelings for Saldana, calling her 'always my first choice' for the role and praising her 'great bulls*** detector. Zoe isn’t going to let a false note pass unchallenged. She pushed me to make her character the truest it could be—and the most interesting.'

Her penchant for science-fiction roles came, she confided, from the fact it was difficult to find action roles for women elsewhere.

She explained: 'It was hard for me in my 20s to accept parts where I was The Girlfriend. And then you open that page, usually page 20, and it says: "In comes so-and-so: Hot. Sexy. Legs for days."'

As the Nina star recalled, 'you’re like: "Aw, why not just let her open her mouth first, and then we’ll judge her based on what she’s saying?" I remember feeling disheartened, and kind of going: "I can’t do this."'

'Much friendlier, much more relaxed': The Passaic native effused about Ben Affleck, who directed, co-produced and starred in the film, explaining: 'He just has a great deal of empathy for what we go through as actors'

Meanwhile, 'Space became this place that, yeah, I’m someone’s girlfriend, but I’m also the daughter of the king, or the queen of this tribe. And we’re fighting to save this environment.' 

The Colombiana actress went on: 'That’s a multi-dimensional character, you know? So sometimes space provided a way to better roles for me,' roles that 'I was truly, truly enjoying.' 

She dished a bit about some of those franchises too. On the news that James Cameron was planning four Avatar sequels, she opined: 'It’s only going to be greater, bigger, better. He raised the bar really high, and he’s going to meet his own [standard]— he’s going to match it or beat it. I just believe in him so much.'

'Always my first choice': He in turn praised her 'great bulls*** detector'

Playing Lieutenant Nyota Uhura in the Star Trek films was a slightly different matter, inasmuch as the role had already been memorably embodied in the original 1960s TV programme by Nichelle Nichols.

The 83-year-old was, however, quite encouraging to her successor. By Saldana's recollection, 'She said: "Just go for it. Just do your thing. Make her modern. Make her strong. Be Uhura. Don’t be afraid of her."

'She goes: "I’m not Uhura—that role is on the paper. Of course I added everything that I wanted it to be at that time, what I wanted women to be.’ And that was the most amazing validation, ever."'

Live By Night will have a limited release in American starting Christmas Day, and will then enjoy a wide release both stateside and in Britain on January 13th. 

Moment of passion: After a limited US release beginning Christmas Day, Live By Night will enjoy a wide release both stateside and in Britain on January 13th