Zoe Saldaña made history at the Oscars when she won best supporting actress for her role as Mexican lawyer Rita Castro in “Emilia Pérez.”
Saldaña is the third Latina to win best supporting actress — and the first not playing Anita in “West Side Story.”
Zoe Saldana accepts the award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for “Emilia Perez” onstage during the 97th Annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Calif., on March 2, 2025.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images
In her speech, Saldaña said she was the first American of Dominican origin to win an Oscar.
“I know I will not be the last,” Saldaña said in her acceptance speech.
In an emotional moment, when Saldaña took to the stage, she looked for her mom, and then waved to her through tears.
Saldaña dedicated her win to her grandmother.
“My grandmother came to this country in 1961,” she said. “I am a proud child of immigrant parents, with dreams and dignity and hard-working hands.”
“The fact that I’m getting an award for a role where I got to sing and speak in Spanish — my grandmother, if she were here, she would be so delighted,” Saldaña said.
The other nominees for supporting actress were Monica Barbaro for “A Complete Unknown,” Ariana Grande for “Wicked,” Felicity Jones for “The Brutalist” and Isabella Rossellini for “Conclave.”
