Zoe Saldaña delivered an emotional speech at Variety‘s Power of Women ceremony, presented by Lifetime.
“I’m really honored to be here today among so many amazing women. Carol Burnett, Amy Adams, Bela Bajaria, what a privilege it is to be standing here alongside you all this evening. I’m constantly in awe of each of you,” Saldaña said in her speech, shouting out her fellow Power of Women honorees. “A woman brought each and every one of us here tonight into this world, and when we get opportunities like this, where we can all come together and rally for each other, there’s truly nothing like it.”
Saldaña — the queen of the box office, whose resume boasts the three highest-grossing films of all time in “Avatar,” “Avengers: Endgame” and “Avatar: The Way of Water” — was feted alongside Adams, Burnett and Netflix’s Bajaria, as well as Variety Courage Award recipient Sarah Hyland. The star-studded event was hosted by Emmy-nominated actor and comedian Leslie Jones.
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At Thursday’s Los Angeles gala, Saldaña represented Baby2Baby, a nonprofit that provides diapers, formula, clothing and cribs to children living in poverty across the U.S. Saldaña was inspired by the tenacity of Baby2Baby co-CEOs Kelly Sawyer Patricof and Norah Weinstein to get involved and has become one of the organization’s Angel ambassadors. The mission is also personal because she has three sons.
“Kelly Sawyer Patricof and Norah Weinstein, the co-founders of Baby2Baby, I am so grateful for all that you do, and I’m honored to get to be a vessel to help bring attention and awareness to the organization that you built together,” Saldaña said. “You are truly a dynamic duo. Your impact on the lives of families who are struggling, and your dedication and tireless efforts to provide essential items for children living in poverty have helped so many families across the country.”
Saldaña went on to praise the Baby2Baby organization as a “beacon of hope,” highlighting the community formed by Patricof and Weinstein, who have distributed over 450 million essential items to families over the past 13 years.
“Through their collaborative efforts, these two women have shown that when people come together with a shared goal of helping others, anything is possible,” Saldaña said. “Their compassion, generosity, and dedication to making a difference serve as a powerful reminder of the impact one can have when driven by a desire to be of service.”
Before taking the stage, Saldaña was introduced by Benicio del Toro, who appeared as The Collector alongside Saldaña’s Gamora in “Guardians of the Galaxy.”
