Zoe Saldaña was honored at the Time100 Gala in New York, and instead of using the moment for personal recognition, she took the opportunity to leave an important message for the youngest generation
While walking the red carpet as one of the 2026 Time100 honorees and a global cover star for the issue, Saldaña spoke candidly about identity, intergenerational wisdom, and what visibility means for the next wave of Latino talent.
© WireImageFor the Dominican American actress, the honor carried collective weight. “This is an incomparable achievement,” Saldaña told ¡HOLA! on the red carpet. “It’s an incredible thing for me to also return to New York, which is my city. I feel beautiful, very humble, very grateful, and I also know what this means for my community.”
Her appearance on the prestigious list marks her second Time100 recognition, after she was first named among the world’s most influential people in 2023. This year feels especially significant as Saldaña is not only honored among global changemakers, but she is also helping lead a powerful Latino presence across the 2026 list, where nine Latino figures were recognized, reflecting Latino influence shaping culture, politics, science, and activism.
© Getty ImagesZoe Saldaña Says “We Belong Everywhere”
Saldaña used the spotlight to deliver a message aimed at the younger generations who are dreaming beyond traditional boundaries. “My wish is to see so many young people in a place like where I am,” she said, “and for them to know they can achieve whatever they want in technology, science, medicine, entertainment, in anything, because we belong everywhere.”
The Dominican American actress’s career has redefined blockbuster storytelling through franchises like “Avatar” and “Guardians of the Galaxy.” She has long embodied global possibility and has proven that her success is less an individual triumph and more a roadmap others can follow.
© Getty Images for TIMEAs the highest-grossing actor in history, Saldaña’s résumé already speaks for itself, including an Academy Award, BAFTA, Golden Globe, SAG Award, two Critics' Choice Awards, and a Cannes Film Festival honor. Yet her focus remained on opening doors.
Her Surprising Take on Kids, Internet Culture, and Wisdom
One of Saldaña’s reflections while speaking with ¡HOLA! centered on younger generations and the complicated role technology now plays in shaping them. “There is so much to learn from children, because I feel they are born so wise,” she said.
She acknowledged that young people today grow up with unprecedented access to information, but this information does not mean lived understanding. “These new generations are growing up with so much access to the internet that they feel like they know everything,” she said.
But rather than criticizing youth culture, Saldaña argued that instinct, curiosity, and innovation in younger generations are gifts and should coexist with elders' wisdom.
Zoe Saldaña’s Call to Respect Ancestors
She concluded her message, highlighting the importance of legacy. “It is very important to respect our ancestors, honor those who came before you, listen to them,” she said, adding that older generations share their experiences “so you don’t have to suffer the way they did.”
© ¡HOLA!Adding: “I want young people to allow themselves to be raised. I let myself be guided by everyone who came before me,” she continued, “and that has helped and protected me from many things and many people.”
While Saldaña’s Time100 recognition celebrates cinematic achievement, her words on the red carpet made clear she sees influence as responsibility. Therefore, her message is about dreaming expansively, staying rooted in identity, listening to those who came before you, and never believing certain spaces were not built for you, because, as Zoe Saldaña put it, “we belong everywhere.”
