Asalia Nazario is best known as the mother of actress Zoë Saldaña. She raised three daughters—Mariel, Zoë and Cisely—and became an important influence on the family after the death of her husband, Aridio Saldaña.
Although Asalia Nazario has largely stayed away from the entertainment spotlight, her daughter has spoken often about the values and determination she learned from her mother.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Asalia Nazario |
| Known For | Mother of actress Zoë Saldaña |
| Nationality | Dominican-American family background |
| Heritage | Dominican; Zoë has also identified Puerto Rican ancestry through her maternal family |
| Children | Mariel Saldaña, Zoë Saldaña, and Cisely Saldaña |
| Former Husband | Aridio Saldaña |
| Later Husband | Dagoberto Galán |
| Family Tragedy | Her first husband died in a car accident when Zoë was nine |
| Role in Family | Raised and supported her three daughters following her husband’s death |
| Residence/Work | Remained in New York while her daughters spent part of their childhood in the Dominican Republic |
| Public Career | Not known for an entertainment career |
| Notable Interview | Gave a 2014 interview to Diario Libre about motherhood and her daughters |
| Age | Not reliably verified |
| Birth Date | Not reliably verified |
| Net Worth | Not publicly verified |
Early Life and Background
Reliable sources do not establish Asalia Nazario’s exact birth date or age, so those details are best left unreported.
Public accounts identify her as having Puerto Rican and Dominican heritage. Her husband, Aridio Saldaña, was Dominican, while Saldaña has described her mother as having Puerto Rican ancestry.
The family spent part of Zoë Saldaña’s childhood in New York before circumstances later took the three daughters to the Dominican Republic.
Raising Three Daughters
Asalia Nazario and Aridio Saldaña had three daughters: Mariel, Zoë and Cisely. The family raised the girls bilingually, with Spanish spoken at home.
When Zoë was nine, her father died in a car accident. After his death, Asalia sent her daughters to live with their late father’s family in the Dominican Republic while she remained in New York to work and help provide for them.
CBS News reported that Nazario sometimes worked as a hotel housekeeper while raising her daughters. In an interview with CBS correspondent Michelle Miller, Nazario recalled praying for her children’s dreams and spoke warmly about Zoë’s ambitions.
The family later returned to New York after political unrest in the Dominican Republic affected their plans. Zoë continued her education and dance training before eventually pursuing acting.
Asalia Nazario’s Influence on Zoe Saldaña
Zoë Saldaña has repeatedly credited her upbringing with shaping her outlook.
In an interview discussed by RTÉ, Saldaña recalled advice from her mother about focusing on how she felt about other people rather than worrying excessively about the impression she made on them. The lesson became part of the actress’s approach to relationships and public life.
The influence was also visible during Saldaña’s awards season for Emilia Pérez. When Saldaña received her first Golden Globe nomination for the film, she immediately shared the news with her family, including her mother.
Saldaña later thanked her parents and sisters during her 2025 Academy Awards acceptance speech after winning Best Supporting Actress for Emilia Pérez.
Asalia Nazario’s Family
Asalia Nazario is the mother of three daughters: Mariel, Zoë and Cisely Saldaña. The sisters have remained close and eventually worked together on Cinestar Pictures, a production company focused on developing stories centered on women.
Zoë became the family’s most internationally recognized figure through films including Avatar, Guardians of the Galaxy and Star Trek. Her success has also brought greater public attention to her mother and the family story behind her upbringing.
Asalia has occasionally appeared alongside her daughter at major public events. She attended the 2025 Golden Globes with Zoë during the actress’s awards campaign for Emilia Pérez.
Career and Public Life
Unlike her daughter, Asalia Nazario has not pursued a public entertainment career.
Her documented working life is mainly connected to supporting her family. CBS News reported that she worked, including as a hotel housekeeper, while raising her daughters.
Nazario also gave an interview to the Dominican newspaper Diario Libre in 2014, discussing motherhood and raising her three daughters. The interview provides one of the clearest firsthand accounts of her experience as a mother and widow.
Net Worth
There is no reliable public estimate of Asalia Nazario’s personal net worth.
Celebrity websites sometimes publish figures for people connected to famous actors, but those estimates are not supported by verifiable financial records. A specific amount would therefore be speculative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Asalia Nazario?
Asalia Nazario is the mother of actress Zoë Saldaña and her sisters Mariel and Cisely. She is known publicly primarily through her family’s story and her daughter’s successful acting career.
Who was Asalia Nazario’s husband?
Her husband was Aridio Saldaña, who was from the Dominican Republic. He was the father of their three daughters and died in a car accident when Zoë was nine.
How many children does Asalia Nazario have?
Asalia Nazario has three daughters: Mariel, Zoë and Cisely Saldaña.
Where did Asalia Nazario’s daughters spend part of their childhood?
After Aridio Saldaña’s death, the three girls spent part of their childhood in the Dominican Republic with their father’s family while Asalia remained in New York to work and support them.
What is Asalia Nazario’s age?
Her exact date of birth and age are not reliably documented in authoritative public sources.
Conclusion
Asalia Nazario’s public story is closely tied to the family she raised. After losing her husband when her daughters were young, she worked to support them and helped maintain a bilingual, multicultural upbringing that Zoë Saldaña has frequently credited as an important part of her identity.
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