Zoe Saldaña Becomes the First American of Dominican Origin to Win an Oscar

Zoe Saldaña made history with her Best Actress in a Supporting Role win at the 2025 Oscars.

The Emilia Pérez actress is now the first Dominican-American actress to win an Oscar. She is also the third Latina actress to win the category, following Rita Moreno for 1961's West Side Story and Ariana DeBose for the 2021 remake.

Saldaña immediately searched for her family after ascending to the stage and accepting her award. "Mami, Mami," she said, looking for her mother in the crowd as tears began falling. "My mom is here. My whole family is here. I am floored by this honor."

"Thank you to the academy for recognizing the quiet heroism and the power in a woman like Rita and talking about powerful women," she continued. "My fellow nominees, the love and community that you have offered me is a true gift and I will pay it forward."

Saldaña went on to thank Best Director nominee Jacques Audiard. the cast and crew of Emilia Pérez, as well as Netflix, Saint Laurent Productions, and the rest of her team. The actress also thanked her family, telling her mother, father, and sisters "everything brave, outrageous, and good that I've ever done in my life is because of you."

"And to my husband with that beautiful hair, you're just…the biggest honor of my life is being your partner," she continued. "You hung the moon in our beautiful perfect sons—Cy, Bowie, and Zen—they fill our skies every night with stars."

Saldaña concluded her speech by honoring her heritage and grandmother, acknowledging her historic win, and expressing her surety that she would not be the last actor of Dominican origin to win an Oscar.

"My grandmother came to this country in 1961. I am a proud child of immigrant parents with dreams and dignity and hard-working hands—and I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award and I know I will not be the last. The fact that I am 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. This is for my grandmother, Argentina Cesse. Thank you so much, muchas gracias."

Saldaña was nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role along with Monica Barbaro for A Complete Unknown, Ariana Grande for Wicked, Felicity Jones for The Brutalist, and Isabella Rossellini for Conclave.

Emilia Pérez received 13 total nominations at the 97th annual Academy Awards. The film from Jacques Audiard also won the award for Best Original Song, for Saldaña's standout number "El Mal."