Zoe Saldana Covers the Annual InStyle Hair Issue!

Once a year, InStyle puts out a special issue dedicated to the unique art of hair, and for 2013, our cover girl is Zoë Saldana! Much like the roles she chooses—including Star Trek into Darkness, out May 17—she is bold, a word that also describes her thoughts on hair. “In Latino culture, hair carries a lot of history, a lot of weight, and a lot of energy,” she told InStyle Hair. “I always liked my hair. I never wanted to have any other skin but my own, any other hair but my own. Women who spend so much of their lives wanting to have something else miss out on learning to appreciate what they do have.” It’s a strong sense of self she learned from her tight-knit family. “[My mother] always said, ‘Honey, there is nothing that a red lipstick and a pair of red shoes can’t heal, cure, or solve.’ And I absolutely believe that. They can get you out of anything, even the biggest funk of your life.” She’s already tried more than a few major hairstyles—check out the faux bob, chic updo (shown), and sleek ponytail she models in the issue—and she still has some her daredevil hair days to come. “At some point I want to chop mine off and learn to enhance my other virtues, instead of depending so much on my hair,” she said. Now that’s hair power! Read the full exclusive interview and see more photos by picking up InStyle Hair, on newsstands—and downloadable for your tablets!—starting Friday, April 5.

Plus, try on the cover star's hair!