The somersaults, the jumps, the riding ability and the perfectly choreographed martial arts moves displayed by Dominican-American actress Zoé Saldaña in the movie “Avatar” are not fortuitous, nor are they the mere result of the use of state-of-the-art effects used in this successful motion picture.

In order to give life to Princess Neytiri, of the Omaticaya clan of the humanoid alien-aboriginals of the Na’vi race, Saldaña had to undergo a rigorous training program that included martial arts, archery and horse riding. All this, along with her previous dancing training, gave birth to one of the most exquisite characters in the big screen in recent memory.

Judging by the accolades she has been receiving, Saldaña’s effort was worth it.

“I feel privileged to receive so many positive comments about my participation in the film,” Saldaña said, “and even though in the beginning of the preparation we had our difficulties, the result has been indescribable.”

Sports training is not something new for this New York-born actress, who comes from a Dominican family. And this is because she played volleyball in her childhood along with her sisters Mariel and Cisely, and she practiced archery in her spare time.

“The love of archery is one of the passions that Avatar inspired in me,” Saldaña said. “I am very active. I enjoy being constantly moving around. If I had more time, I would love to play volleyball again.”

Extra points with Saldaña:

• A dream to fulfill: “I would love to be the spokesperson for a campaign for autistic children, women who are victims of domestic violence, or for the soldiers who have fought in Iraq.”

• A weakness: “I am allergic to product with too much perfume.”

• On her new-found celebrity: “I ignore the negative comments that don’t help me to grow, and I always focus on giving the best of me.”

• Immediate plans: “To continue working and spending more time with my family.”

From ESPN