zoe-angelinaImage Credit: Janet Mayer/PR Photos; Albert L. Ortega/PR PhotosAccording to The Hollywood Reporter, Zoe Saldana is in negotiations to star as an assassin in Colombiana. Of course, as a reporter in this industry, the first thing that crosses my mind when I think of the word “assassin” is Angelina Jolie. (It’s about as natural as hearing the words “chin dreads” and automatically thinking of Brad Pitt.) And I’m betting I’m not alone. After all, Jolie’s famously played an assassin in both Wanted and Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and will play a sleeper agent – which is basically an assassin, right? – in the upcoming Salt. So upon hearing this latest piece of casting news, I began to wonder whether Saldana is poised to follow in Jolie’s career footsteps.
It’s not totally unthinkable, even if it’s unlikely that Saldana would ever become as high-profile a tabloid subject as Jolie. Besides the fact that Saldana, like Jolie, has legs for days – and is well on her way to becoming a red carpet star – the two actresses have already boasted similar resumés. They both have starred in geeky action franchises. (Jolie in Tomb Raider and Saldana in Star Trek and Avatar.) They both have played romantic leads (Jolie in Pushing Tin and Life or Something Like It and Saldana in Premium and Guess Who), yet don’t exactly fit into the rom-com actress mold. (Could you see either being forced to pratfall?) They both have worked with high-profile directors. (Jolie with Clint Eastwood in The Changeling; Saldana with Steven Spielberg in The Terminal.) And they have both even toyed with campy fun. (Jolie in Gone in Sixty Seconds, Saldana in Center Stageand Crossroads.) And, thanks to The Losers, we already know Saldana looks just as fabulous with a gun as Jolie.
With Saldana’s star threatening to beam even brighter, what with Star Trek 2 and the Avatar sequel, I don’t think I’m that far off with my comparison. Do you agree with me, PopWatchers? And hope that Saldana reaches Jolie’s star wattage?