Zoe Saldañaknown for her blockbuster sci-fi roles, advocates for more recognition of motion capture performances at awards shows. She recently earned her first Golden Globe nomination for her work in Emilia Pérez and won best actress at Cannes alongside her co-stars Selena Gomez, Karla Sofía Gascón and Adriana Paz earlier this year. Most recently, Saldaña won the Astra Award for Best Supporting Actress alongside Ariana Grande. The actress is familiar with the artistic and physical demands of motion capture performances, a medium she helped develop with her iconic roles in the avatar franchise.
Talking to Variety Following her Golden Globe nomination, Saldaña expressed gratitude for the recognition she received for her role in Emilia Pérez while also bringing attention to the underappreciated art of motion capture performance. When asked what she thinks about not being nominated for her performance as Neytiri in James Cameron's film avatardue to the Golden Globes not recognizing CGI motion capture performances, the actor emphasized the commitment and artistic talent required for such roles. This is what she said:
I will continue to hope that people and members of gyms and organizations reach a level of understanding of what performance capture really is and what it does for the artist. It gives the artist the right to take full ownership of their work.
It is not a cloned or imitated work. The artist is the one who actually does all the work and the technicians, in post, paint. You don't walk into a studio in your sweats and lend your voice, and then someone comes up with an idea of how they think you would move if you said something like that.
Every movement that each character made under performance capture was performed by an actor or stunt double, and I hope one day I can be recognized, because it's a shame to ignore the sacrifices and work put into these films.
What this means for award recognition
The opportunity to change
Saldaña's career is the perfect example of the power and importance of performance capture in Hollywood. Her role as Neytiri in Avatar: The Path of Water required her to master freediving techniques and perform emotionally charged underwater scenes, all while working within the constraints of motion capture suits. However, Despite the talent and effort required, such performances often go unnoticed during awards season. Likewise, Andy Serkis, a performance capture pioneer known for his breakthrough performances as Gollum in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Caesar in Planet of the Apes, was also overlooked for major acting nominations.
This oversight reflects a major disconnect in Hollywood's understanding of motion capture as a medium for acting. The performances of Saldaña and her co-stars, such as Sam Worthington and Sigourney Weaver, are crucial to the success of avatar. By not recognizing the achievements of actors, the industry largely undermines the credibility of your craft. Such recognition would not only validate the actors' hard work, but also encourage more creative exploration within the medium. Award-winning organizations now have the opportunity to set a precedent by including motion capture in their categories, bridging the gap between innovation and art.
Our opinion on Saldaña's defense
Breaking barriers with performance capture
Saldaña's call for motion capture performances to be recognized during awards season is timely and well-deserved. Her performances and that of so many actors in highly successful franchises were capable of to convey as much depth and complexity as traditional acting rolesoften receiving much praise from the public but none from the industry. By standing up for herself and her colleagues, Saldaña challenges the industry to adopt a more inclusive approach to acting, which can continue to open doors for other performers, like stunt performers, to receive the accolades and awards they deserve for their contributions to film and TV.
As one of the most prominent figures in Hollywood and motion capture, SaldañaHis words carry significant weight. Your advocacy could lead to greater awareness of talent and innovation behind these performances, which range from films to video games. This could potentially allow future generations of actors to explore many means of transformation beyond traditional acting.
Source: Variety