Zoe Saldana, who sported blue skin in Avatar, shocked to see herself green in Guardians

Actress Zoe Saldana (standing) with co-star Dave Bautista (left) and director James Gunn at the Guardians of the Galaxy press conference on July 10, 2014. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
Actress Zoe Saldana (standing) with co-star Dave Bautista (left) and director James Gunn at the Guardians of the Galaxy press conference on July 10, 2014. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
Actress Zoe Saldana (standing) with co-star Dave Bautista (left) and director James Gunn at the Guardians of the Galaxy press conference on July 10, 2014. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO
Cinema still: Guardians Of The Galaxy. -- PHOTO: WALT DISNEY PICTURES
Actress Zoe Saldana (centre) with co-star Dave Bautista (right) and director James Gunn at the Guardians of the Galaxy press conference on July 10, 2014. -- ST PHOTO: DESMOND FOO

One would imagine that Avatar star Zoe Saldana would be used to seeing herself in odd shades of colours since she was CGI-ed blue to play alien Neytiri in the science-fiction blockbuster Avatar (2009).

But no. She claims she was shocked to see herself with green complexion when Saldana woke up after her first make-up session for her new role in the Marvel movie Guardians Of The Galaxy.

In Singapore on Thursday to promote the movie, the 36-year-old American actress, who takes on the role of Gamora, a deadly green-skinned assassin, says: "I woke up and it really caused such an impression. Oh no, what happened to my face? I had forgotten that I had said yes to the role."

She was joined by co-star former WWE championship wrestler Dave Bautista, 45 and the film's director James Gunn, 43, at a press conference held at Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre earlier. The wrestler-turned-actor Bautista, 45, plays Drax the Destroyer, a brute bent on vengeance.

The action-packed movie follows interstellar adventurer Peter Quill (Parks And Recreation's Chris Pratt) on the run from powerful villain Ronan (Lee Pace) after he steals a mysterious orb. Quill is forced to enlist the help of a quartet of cosmic misfits, including Gamora and Drax.

Both Saldana and Bautista had to undergo hours of make-up to transform into their characters. Saldana was curious how her co-star fared during the long-drawn makeup session.

She says: "We were getting done in different trucks, and I was like, 'How's Dave?' I heard that usually men freak out. He's the most zen, he stands there. So I had to bring my game on. I was seating in a comfy chair, laying down. He was standing up the whole time like for four hours."

Indeed, the muscular Bautista was a picture of serenity throughout the press conference attended by more than 100 reporters from the region including countries such as Australia and Thailand.

He says: "I'm by nature a very zen person. It was a cool thing. I liked opening my eyes and I wasn't Drax, and opening my eyes and I was Drax."

Fans can catch the trio at a red carpet event at Shaw Lido theatres starting from 6.30pm on Saturday. The movie opens here in cinemas on July 31.

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