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Forget ‘Avatar,’ This 8-Part Netflix Drama Is Zoe Saldaña’s Best Performance
A Collider feature argues that Zoe Saldaña's most affecting performance came not from Avatar or her Oscar-winning role in Emilia Pérez, but from the Netflix drama From Scratch. In the eight-part series, Saldaña plays Amy, an aspiring artist who falls in love with an Italian chef while studying abroad, in a story exploring love, family and grief. The piece makes the case for viewers to revisit the show as a showcase of the actress's range before her Academy Award win.
From Scratch is based on the memoir of the same name by show creator Tembi Locke and also stars Eugenio Mastrandrea as Amy's love interest Lino, alongside Keith David and Kellita Smith as her divorced parents, Hershel and Lynn. The article highlights how the series places Amy at the centre of family tension, romantic upheaval and professional struggle, giving Saldaña scope to portray a wide emotional range across the eight episodes.
In short
- Collider calls From Scratch Zoe Saldaña's best-ever performance.
- Netflix drama stars Saldaña as artist Amy alongside Eugenio Mastrandrea.
- Based on Tembi Locke's memoir, explores love, family and grief.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
From Scratch represents Saldaña's finest work because the intimate, character-driven drama places her centre stage to carry a complex emotional narrative about artistic ambition, romantic love, family dynamics and grief across eight hours. This extended character study showcases her dramatic range and emotional depth through nuance and sustained performance in ways that spectacle-driven productions cannot offer.
The case against
Her most accomplished performances come from Avatar and Emilia Pérez, which demonstrate her ability to anchor blockbuster cinema across multiple films and secure an Academy Award through work in a critically praised ensemble. These roles represent her greatest achievement because they show her versatility across fundamentally different scales and genres whilst achieving both cultural impact and the industry recognition that matters when assessing an actor's finest work.
Explained simply
From Scratch is an eight-part Netflix drama series based on the memoir of the same name by creator Tembi Locke. It tells the story of Amy, an aspiring artist who falls in love with an Italian chef whilst studying abroad, with the narrative exploring love, family and grief.
The series stars Zoe Saldaña as Amy, alongside Eugenio Mastrandrea as Lino, the Italian chef. Keith David and Kellita Smith portray her divorced parents, bringing additional family conflict into the story.
Saldaña is known for major roles in the Avatar films and for her performance in Emilia Pérez, for which she won an Academy Award. From Scratch showcases the actress's dramatic range across its eight episodes as Amy navigates romantic, professional and family challenges.