Zoe Saldana called out "elitists" in Hollywood for looking down on blockbuster superhero Marvel films, as one of the biggest, "Avengers: Infinity War" is slated to hit movie theaters later this month, reported the British publication Net-A-Porter.
Saldana, who also appears in Marvel's "Guardians of the Galaxy" franchise and the updated "Star Trek" movie series, told the fashion publication that the movies mean a lot to their viewers, especially children.
"I've been in rooms with people in this industry who are great at what they do, but they're absolutely elitist and they look down at movies like the Marvel films or actors like myself," Saldana told Net-A-Porter. "They think we're selling out in some way.
"Every time they speak I feel so disappointed in them, because whenever you see pictures of people in this industry who donate their time to children in need, it's these actors that live in the world that you feel is selling out. It's these actors that understand the role that they play inspires a 5-year-old who has one dying wish to meet a superhero. That actor takes time out of their life and sits down with that 5-year-old and says, 'I see you, I hear you, and you matter,'" Saldana continued.
Saldana will reprise her "Guardians of the Galaxy" role of Gamora for "Avengers: Infinity War," which comes out on April 27. She told Net-A-Porter that critics should reconsider their take on the Marvel movies.
"Those elitists should be a little more cognizant about what playing a superhero means to a young child," Saldana told the publication. "Because you're not just dissing me, you're dissing what that child considers important in their world.
"I feel so proud to be living in space, to be playing green and blue aliens, to inspire, primarily, the younger generations. I remember what it was like to be young and to feel completely excluded out of the mainstream conversation of life because I was just little and unimportant and 'other,'" she continued.
Marvel movies are not going away soon, with three of the top 10 highest grossing worldwide movies of all-time – "Marvel's The Avengers" at No. 5 ($1.518 billion), "Avengers: Age of Ultron" at No. 7 ($1.405 billion), and still grossing "Black Panther" at No. 10 ($1.3 billion), according to Box Office Mojo.
Quickly following "Avengers: Infinity Wars," will be "Ant-Man and the Wasp" on July 6, which will lead a new crop of Marvel movies through 2022, per Box Office Mojo.
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