So what if Zoe Saldana's husband decided to take her last name - if she doesn't mind, then neither should anyone else, right?
The 36-year-old "Guardians of The Galaxy" star is standing by her husband's side after revealing that he decided to take her last name when they got married.
During an interview with In Style Magazine, Saldana revealed that her husband, Marco Perego, took her name after the two secretly married in the summer of 2013. Although she tried to change his mind out of fear that some people wouldn't understand, the actress' husband embraced his decision and changed his name.
"I tried to talk him out of it," the actress confessed. "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 (in his Italian accent), 'Ah, Zoe, I don't give a s--t.'"
Her statements have drawn in a few disapproving comments online - however, the Latina actress is standing by her husband's decision and defended him in a lengthy post on Facebook.
"Fathers, sons, brothers, men everywhere: Your legacy will not perish if you take your partner's surname, or she keeps hers," Saldana wrote 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?"
Saldana, who welcomed twin boys, Cy and Bowie, in November, said she was confused as to why it was so "shocking- eventful that a man would take his wife's surname," but "women have never been asked if its ok for them to give up their names."
In her post, the "Avatar" actress explained why men shouldn't be afraid to do what her husband did.
"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 alongside his partner. A real man accepts his mortality. A real man acknowledges that nothing can be done alone," she added.
She concluded her post by making a plea that her rant doesn't serve as gossip, but "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."
Do you agree with Zoe and Marco Saldana?
