The former ballerina landed roles in two of the biggest action blockbusters of 2009 - Uhura in the JJ Abram directed Star Trek reboot and Pandoran native Neytiri in James Cameron's 3D extravaganza Avatar.
Born in New Jersey, she was raised in Queens, New York, before moving - aged 10 - to the Dominican Republic, the home of her mother, where she studied ballet at the prestigious ECOS Espacio de Danza Dance Academy.
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