Zoe Saldana almost turned down the opportunity to appear in Star Trek, directed by J.J. Abrams.

Saldana said that she was reluctant to take on the role of Uhura in Star Trek because she had recently appeared in another huge sci-fi film, James Cameron's Avatar. The actress mentioned that she felt she needed to recharge after her role in the blockbuster film set on fictional world 'Pandora.'

Although Zoe Saldana has admitted that she is a big science fiction nerd, she almost turned down Star Trek. She said she was afraid and "concerned" about accepting the role as Uhuru in Abrams' remake of the classic series.

Saldana told Latina Magazine, "I think I was just a little beside myself because after the treat and the gift of booking 'Avatar' and being in the middle of shooting - to be able to then do another great movie with another great filmmaker back-to-back - I was a little overwhelmed and I thought: 'Maybe I should just take some time off and focus and just rest?'"

Despite her hesitation in joining the cast for the big-budget remake of the classic sci-fi series, she was convinced to take the role, eventually.

Saldana said, "[M]y Mom is a Trekkie and my team was like, 'Zoe, are you stupid? Don't let fear immobilize you. This is an amazing opportunity to step into the shoes of an iconic character in an iconic series and it's in space and you're a sci-fi buff.' And I was like, 'Oh my God, who am I kidding? Absolutely. I'll totally do it.'"

Fortunately, Saldana ended up taking the role of Uhura. Saldana's full interview will appear in the May issue of Latina Magazine. She will star in the upcoming sequel to the original J.J. Abrams remake, Star Trek Into Darkness, scheduled to open in theatres on May 17.

Zoe Saldana has recently faced some criticism for taking on not another sci-fi role, but the role of Nina Simone, since Saldana doesn't look like the civil-rights era singer. But, Saldana fought back, saying that by taking on the role and playing the icon with dignity, Saldana is representing her own black and Latina culture. She said, "I did it all out of love for my people and my pride of being a black woman and a Latina woman and an American woman, and that's my truth."

In addition to playing Nina Simone, Saldana is in negotiations to play the role of Gamora in the comic book adaptation Guardians of the Galaxy directed by James Gunn. That sci-fi movie is expected to be released next year.