Zoe Saldaña's 3 Kids: Everything She's Said About Parenting

Mar. 15, 2025

Photo: Michael Tran/FilmMagic

She may have a high-profile career, appearing in movies likeGuardians of the GalaxyandAvatar, butZoe Saldañasays there’s nothing like being with the “best people” in her life: husbandMarco Perego, and their three sons, Cy, Bowie and Zen.

Saldaña and Perego have done their best to keep their children out of the spotlight. “Marco and I have a great deal of respect for theprivacy of our kids,” she told PEOPLE in 2017. “We have to choose for them and part of that is giving them the anonymity that they need.”

Still, Saldaña’s kids know about her Hollywood fame.

“I see how [Zen] is trying to place me in his mind like, ‘OK, you’re Mama, but you’re also Gamora,’ " she said of her youngest during an interview forInStyle. “The fact that thatgives me street cred with my kids, it’s fun, it’s great.”

TOUT.Zoe Saldana /Instagram

Zoe Saldana /Instagram

Saldaña’s children occasionally join her at work, including when they support their mom on the red carpet. In December 2024, Perego, Cy, Bowie and Zenjoined her at the premiereof her movieEmilia Perezin Italy.

The actress went on towin her first Oscarfor her role in the critically acclaimed film. While accepting the honor in March 2025, Saldaña mentioned her “beautiful perfect” sons. “They fill our sky every night with stars,” she told the audience.

Here’s everything Zoe Saldaña has said about parenting her three sons.

Cy Aridio and Bowie Ezio, 10

Zoe Saldana Instagram

Identical twinsCy Aridio and Bowie Ezio Perego-Saldañawere born on Nov. 27, 2014, in Los Angeles. The twins were born early viaemergency C-section. Saldaña did not announce her pregnancy prior to their birth.

After welcoming her kids, the new mom opened up about her health difficulties related to pregnancy.

“Yourbody changes dramatically, inside and out,” the actress shared in 2015. “You grow in places you never knew you could, and you are tired beyond belief. In some cases more than others, your body experiences a kind of trauma through childbirth that is difficult to explain unless you’ve had that experience.”

From birth, the two boys have been inseparable and, as Saldaña says, constantly in sync. “They do everything together!” she told PEOPLE in 2017. “They sleep at the same time, they eat at the same time, they poop at the same time.”

Saldaña has said being a mother to boys has beena humbling and educational experience.

One rule that helps her and Perego set boundaries? No play dates.

“Our kids are free,” she explains of why she prefers to host Cy and Bowie’s friends at their house rather than let her boys go to their playmates' homes. “We’re rambunctious. We’re a loud family. … You can always come to our house, our doors are open. But we don’t ever want them to be exposed to negligence, or to someone getting angry with them for just being boys.”

In addition to making sure their home has an open-door policy, Saldaña and Peregodesigned their space specifically with their kids in mind. The actress toldArchitectural Digestthat she wanted their home to not only be “beautiful and affordable and super artistic,” but also “child-safe.”

“I have three boys and they’re going to be jumping, ripping, and biting. I also wanted it to be durable,” she explained.

In October 2023, Saldaña told PEOPLE that she and Perego are teaching their boys to “honor women” and “celebrate their feminine self.”

The actress added, “We’re very hard on our boys the same way we’re hard on women. We definitely understood the assignments and accepted it knowing that we were raising boys during a time when women’s movements are so important.”

Zen Anton Hilario, 8

Zen Anton Hilario Perego-Saldañawas born on Dec. 12, 2016, in L.A. Like his older brothers, Zen arrived quietly, and he reportedly hasan unusual birth story— but his parents are waiting to share it.

Being the little brother of identical twins isn’t always easy for Zen, buthe holds his own, despite being a year and a half younger than Cy and Bowie.

“They’re identical twins and they’re really attached at the hip and their connection is really majestic,” Saldaña said. “So it takes a lot of conscious action to not forget about Zen — but Zen never lets them forget either. He’s really persistent.”

The couple are raising their boys to speak Italian, Spanish and English — Perego is from Italy and Saldaña is of Dominican and Puerto Rican heritage.

“I think they’re doing much better than we are,” Saldaña told PEOPLE of her sons. “They understand all three languages, and they also choose who they speak the languages with. So with their Italian grandparents they will speak in Italian, with their [Spanish-speaking] grandparents they speak in Spanish, and with Mama and Papa they will speak back in English — but they understand in any language we speak to them.”

One thing both parents are emphasizing to their sons is that fathers and mothers can bestrong role models.

“When you look at parenting, the whole thing about matriarchy and patriarchy, and Daddy’s little girl and Mama’s boys — my husband and I find that completely ludicrous and absolutely unhealthy for the upbringing of a child,” the actress said. “You’re giving them a very distorted and limited view on what a female role is supposed to be in a family and what a male role is supposed to be.”

In February 2023, Saldaña shared adorable photos onher Instagram Storiesof her and Zen during “a day at work.”

In one photo, theAvataractress kissed her little boy on the cheek. “Thank you for keeping me company today❤️,” she wrote over the snap.

source: people.com