Sexism can be as aggressive as racism: Zoe Saldana

Zoe Saldana says US President Donald Trump's election was a reminder of the strong role that race and sex still play in the US. "There was a realisation that I just had in this last election is that, that America is racist," she said.

"Of course, there's racism everywhere. I am not saying that there isn't. However, I think that sexism is much stronger and it is much more aggressive. And turn on the TV, just read the newspaper," she added.

Noting that "CEOs are primarily males", and that in the art world, "male painters are the ones that are more successful, primarily", Saldana argued that while women do get involved, their numbers are disproportionately scarce.

"(This) lets you know logically that there is an imbalance," she said. The "Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2" star said that part of the problem is a lack of trust in female leadership.

"It's like the moment a woman gains some kind of position of power, she will be questioned," she said. By holding women to an unfair standard, Saldana said: "It's almost like you're trying to prove our incompetence."