Chris Pizzello/Invision/APZoe Saldana is speaking out in response to the recent headlines following her interview with InStyle magazine.
The 36-year-old beauty covered the July issue of the publication and in her accompanying sit-down, the Guardians of the Galaxy star opened up about husband Marco Perego's decision to take her surname.
"I tried to talk him out of it," she told the mag. "I told him, 'If you use my name, you're going to be emasculated by your community of artists, by your Latin community of men, by the world.' But Marco looks up at me and says, 'Ah, Zoe, I don't give a s--t.'"
Following a series of headlines highlighting her comments, Saldana has taken to her Facebook page to both clarify and defend her remarks.
"Fathers, sons, brothers, men everywhere: Your legacy will not perish if you take your partner's surname, or she keeps hers," Saldana begins in a post published Monday evening. "I've been made aware that a comment I made regarding my marriage has garnered some attention. I felt proud that my husband decided to take my last name as his own... and I his. I shared my hesitation with him when he told me about his decision, not only did he say, 'I don't give a shhheeeetttt!!' (with a very strong Italian accent!!) he also asked me, 'Why not? What are you so afraid of?' And it made me wonder... What am I so afraid of?
"Why is it so surprising, shocking- eventful that a man would take his wife's surname?" Saldana continued. "Women have never been asked if its ok for them to give up their names — why doesn't that make the news?"
The Avatar star went on to share her definition of a "real man" while also encouraging others to follow in her husband's footsteps.
Fathers, sons, brothers, men everywhere: Your legacy will not perish if you take your partner's surname, or she keeps...
Posted by Zoe Saldana on Monday, June 8, 2015
"Men, you will not cease to exist by taking your partner's surname. On the contrary — you'll be remembered as a man who stood by change," she wrote. "I know our sons will respect and admire their father more because their father lead by example.
"Gentlemen, I implore you to think outside the box- remove the box altogether. Let's redefine masculinity. A real 'man' leads along side his partner. A real man accepts his mortality. A real man acknowledges that nothing can be done alone," she added.
Saldana concluded by making a plea that the "buzz" behind the topic serves as "an inspiration for us all to look within and see what is truly important."
"Let's start by letting go of some of the limitations we have inherited from the past, and forge a new path moving forward," she wrote before signing the missive, "Love Zoe and Marco."