Oscar-winning actress Zoe Saldaña shared how she met her husband, Marco Perego-Saldaña, on an airplane. It was 6:30 in the morning when fate intervened on a flight to New York City. Zoe Saldaña, known for her roles in blockbuster franchises and critically acclaimed films, experienced something she had never believed in before: love at first sight.
“I just saw him from behind,” Saldaña recalled in a 2015 interview with USA Today. “And I can’t even describe to you, it was a vibration. He turned in that moment, because he felt the vibration as well.”
This moment was so powerful that it shook the foundations of Saldaña ‘s logical worldview. “I know people don’t believe in it; I didn’t believe in it. I’m a very Sigmund Freud person, I’m very logical,” she admitted. “But that — I’m okay not having an explanation for that. Because I don’t need to explain that. It was enough that I felt it. And that was it.”
Zoe Saldaña And Marco Perego’s Whirlwind Romance
The connection between Saldaña and Italian artist Marco Perego was instant and undeniable. Despite both having previously sworn off marriage, their love story unfolded at a breathtaking pace. They began dating almost immediately after their fateful plane ride, with their first public appearance together in April 2013.
In a move that surprised many, including themselves, the couple decided to tie the knot just months after meeting. “As soon as we decided we were going to get married, we didn’t wait. We did it three weeks later. That part was very, very quick,” Saldaña revealed to The Hollywood Reporter in 2014.
Marco Perego-Saldaña made headlines when he chose to take his wife’s last name after their marriage, a decision that Zoe initially tried to discourage. Concerned about potential backlash from his artistic community and Latin culture, she warned him of possible emasculation.
Now, over a decade since their airplane encounter, Zoe and Marco’s love continues to flourish. They are proud parents to three sons: Cy, Bowie, and Zen. Their partnership has become a symbol of modern love, blending careers, family, and mutual support.
At the 2025 Academy Awards, where Saldaña won her first Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, she paid a touching tribute to her husband. “Thank you so much and to my husband with that beautiful hair,” she said in her acceptance speech. “The biggest honor of my life is being your partner. You put the moon in our beautiful perfect sons, Cy, Bowie, and Zen. They fill our skies every night with stars.”
