The Avatar star became a first-time mum when twins Cy and Bowie were born in December (14), and in a new interview with USA Today, she opens up about the sexism she has endured as an actress - and now as a mother.

She reveals studio executives bend to her male peers' demands, but the purse is often closed to actresses.

Saldana says, "Studios spend more money sometimes 'perking' up male superstars in a movie, with private jets, assistants, a really phat (cool) penthouse or them staying in a yacht instead of them staying on land (sic).

"But then a woman comes in going, 'OK, I have a child. You're taking me away from my home. You're taking my children away from their home. And you're going to make me work a lot more hours than I usually would if I was home. Therefore, I would have to pay for this nanny for more hours - so I kind of need that'. And they go, 'Nope, we don’t pay for nannies'."

Saldana goes on to admit she was stunned to discover movie bosses were actually considering dropping her from certain projects last year (14) - after learning she was pregnant.

She continues, "Let me tell you something, it will never be the right time for anybody in your life that you get pregnant. Last year, the productions I was slated to work on sort of had a panic. I heard through the grapevine there was even a conversation of me being written off of one of the projects.

"I was like, 'Oh, my God, are you kidding me? It's this bad? Right when I just feel super-duper happy, is that inconvenient for you? That me, as a woman in my thirties, I finally am in love and I am finally starting my life? And it's screwing your schedule up? Really?'"