"Neytiri’s a racist" - Zoe Saldaña's comment on her character in Avatar: Fire and Ash sparks outrage

In recent press interviews for Avatar: Fire and Ash, Zoe Saldaña sparked significant conversation by characterizing Neytiri’s psychological state as "a full-blown racist." Speaking with MovieWeb and Blavity, Saldaña stated:

"Man, she’s like a full-blown racist. And she’s so blinded by rage that she’s almost unrecognizable to Jake."

Addressing the character's profound grief following the death of her son, Neteyam, Saldaña explained that Neytiri’s trauma has transformed into a blinding prejudice against "Sky People," which she directs specifically toward the human child, Spider.

On X (formerly Twitter), many users expressed outrage, arguing that labeling a victim of colonization as a "racist" is a fundamental misunderstanding of the character's trauma. One X User wrote:

"She literally has every right to hate the colonizing sky people. Totally valid."

More users added:

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More about Zoe Saldaña's Neytiri in Avatar: Fire and Ash

A still from the film's trailer (Image via YouTube/Avatar)

In Avatar: Fire and Ash, Neytiri’s view of humanity grows much darker and more complicated. Following the death of her eldest son, Neteyam, her grief turns into a deep-seated anger. Zoe Saldaña explained that Neytiri is so blinded by her pain that she struggles to see humans as anything other than a threat.

This change is most visible in how she treats Spider, the human boy who grew up with her children. In the film, Neytiri sees Spider as a physical reminder of everything that has been taken from her. She expresses her hatred clearly, at one point saying:

"I hate their pink little hands. I hate the insanity in their minds."

Her rage is so strong that she even suggests to her husband, Jake, that they should kill Spider to protect the Na'vi people. However, as the story moves forward, Neytiri faces a major internal struggle and she realizes that her hatred is making her act like the enemies she fights against.

She begins to see that her own family is a mix of both worlds, as Jake was once human and her children have human traits. By the end of Avatar: Fire and Ash, she chooses to let go of her rage and eventually accepts the boy as part of their family.

Released on December 19, 2025, the film features the returning core cast led by Sam Worthington as Jake Sully and Zoe Saldaña as Neytiri. Sigourney Weaver reprises her role as Kiri, while Stephen Lang returns as the formidable Colonel Quaritch.

Avatar: Fire and Ash also introduces a major plot twist than its previous films by featuring the first Na'vi villain Varang (played by Oona Chaplin), the leader of the aggressive Ash People, and David Thewlis as Peylak. Other returning stars include Kate Winslet as Ronal and Cliff Curtis as Tonowari.

Edited by Suchita Patnaha