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Zoe Saldana's husband Marco Perego explains why he wants to take her last name

He doesn't "give a sheet"

Helen Nianias
Tuesday 09 June 2015 05:22 EDT
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Zoe Saldana and Marco Perego
Zoe Saldana and Marco Perego (Rex Features)

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Zoe Saldana has spoken of her husband Marco's desire to share her surname, saying he doesn't "give a sheet" what people think.

The Guardians of the Galaxy actor, who secretly married artist Italian Perego in 2013, explained that she tried to talk him out of changing his name - despite being "proud" of him - but he wouldn't listen to her.

"I tried to talk him out of it. 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,'" she told InStyle.

"But Marco looks up at me and says [she puts on a cute Italian accent]: 'Ah, Zoe, I don’t give a sheet.'"

Saldana posted a Facebook status about her husband's decision to take her name, urging men to defy gender stereotypes.

"Fathers, sons, brothers, men everywhere: Your legacy will not perish if you take your partner's surname, or she keeps hers. 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? Women have never been asked if its ok for them to give up their names — why doesn’t that make the news?

"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. I know our sons will respect and admire their father more because their father lead by example."

The couple had twins boys in November 2014, and Saldana has spoken about the challenges and changes that motherhood brings.

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