Zoe Saldaña Can’t Contain Her Excitement at Winning Her First BAFTA

After being nominated — and winning — her first BAFTA — Zoe Saldaña has every right to be emotional. The actress, overwhelmed with feeling, tried to thank everyone she could in her speech, resulting in a few frantic expletives as the countdown to end her speech began.

After Decades of Stellar Acting, Saldaña is Getting Long Overdue Recognition

Zoe Saldaña is the queen of some major firsts in the film industry. In 2018, she became the first actor to star in two films that crossed the $2 billion line with “Avatar” and “Avengers: Infinity War,” and then beat her record in 2023 when she became the first actor to appear in four of the highest grossing films of all time with the addition of “Avatar: Way of the Water,” and “Avengers: Endgame.” Now she can add another to the list: winning her first British Academy Film Award for Best Supporting Actress.

“I was told not to cry by my children so I’m going to try. This is so validating and a true honor,” Saldaña said upon receiving the award, People reported. She thanked the director, cast, crew, and makeup artist, who she tearfully referred to as her closest confidant and “the highest class insanity, integrity, and unconditional love for your craft, and I just love you,” before giving a heartfelt shoutout to her family. “I want to thank my mom for being such a selfless person. Thanks to you I’m able to do anything I want. My husband, you are God’s favorite and I hate it — but you are so beautiful!” As she finally exited the stage, she dedicated the film to her trans nephew, admitting he was the real reason she took the role.

Saldaña’s Dress Designed By Label That Co-Produced ‘Emilia Perez’

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Saldaña looked gorgeous at the BAFTAs, dressed in an exquisite gown created by French fashion label Saint Laurent. The black, gothic-style lace dress featured a pronounced collar that fanned out around her neck and shoulders. Looking back over the award season, Saint Laurent provided many of Saldaña’s memorable outfits, from her sleeveless red silk gown at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards to her brown glittering, sequined, and form-fitting dress at the Golden Globes. It remains to be seen if Saint Laurent will be her choice for the Academy Awards, as well.

The label also had a heavy presence in “Emilia Perez,” with Saint Laurent Productions co-producing the film and even providing some of the costumes. In a Harper’s Bazaar interview with Virginia Montel, the film’s artistic director and costume designer, they used some pieces from Anthony Vaccarello’s archives. “The Saint Laurent pieces were really for [Selena Gomez’s character] Jessi, when she’s with Gustavo in the car,” Montel said. “She wears these very fancy sparkling diamond shoes.”