The people who have lived under the false assumption that Zoe Saldaña isn't an amazing actor can consider themselves educated, thanks to her freshly-won Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Oscar for her turn as attorney Rita Mora Castro in "Emilia Perez." It's a very good role, too. However, it's far from her best one.

Saldaña's work is great through and through, but there's one extremely challenging, complex, and ongoing role that overshadows anything she has a chance to bring to the table in "Emilia Perez." This sci-fi performance is so overlooked that it's left even Saldaña herself frustrated, and even though you don't see her face in it, you've almost certainly seen her play the role and quite possibly been extremely impressed.

The role in question is none other than her role as Neytiri in James Cameron's 2009 effects blockbuster "Avatar" and its 2022 sequel "Avatar: The Way of Water.