Working on another movie, Avatar, Zoe Saldana was set to give the Uhura role in Star Trek XI a pass until persuaded by her Avatar director to reconsider.

As reported by TrekMovie.com, taken from an article in the latest issue of Star Trek Magazine, it was Director James Cameron who changed her mind. "I was working on 'Avatar' and even Jim [Cameron] was saying, 'You’re kidding me? You're not going to do 'Star Trek'?! Give me J.J.'s number, and I'll call him.' He invited J.J. over to the set, and just to see these two directors having a sci-fi conversation...I think I would charge people."

Working on Star Trek XI gave Saldana a new appreciation for the series and Saldana grew to realize that J.J. Abrams cared about the series and also had both long term fans and those who had never seen Star Trek in mind. "[Abrams] understand that he’s making a movie for the fans primarily. We always felt that as well. We always treated everything with so much respect. 'Ok, how is this done?' There were things that were very appointed that we should not be tampering with and I needed to know specific details. Anyone like me can go and see this movie and be blown away regardless, because they're starting from the moment they walk in the theater. But for the fans, we're picking up where others left off. We needed to know how to do things in a way that won't change their history of 'Star Trek'."

And Uhura fans won't be disappointed. "She's Uhura, man," said Saldana. "She communicates! If it was not for her, nobody will understand the Romulan language! All these people in the ship need her. She's so necessary, just like Scotty and everybody. [And] there’s so much space for her to grow and start branching out."

To read more, head to the article located here.

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