Zoë Yadira Saldaña Nazario was born in Passaic, New Jersey.

After her father's death in a car accident, Saldaña and her sisters moved to the Dominican Republic to live with their father's family.

Saldaña returned to New York City with her family after her sophomore year to escape political unrest in the Dominican Republic.

Saldaña performed with the Faces theater group in Brooklyn, exploring issues such as substance abuse and adolescent sex.