Zoe Saldaña’s Husband Stuns Cannes — First Producer with Three Films in Main Competition

Seite 2 / 2

Zoe Saldaña’s Husband Stuns Cannes — First Producer with Three Films in Main Competition

News (2 / 1) 14.05.2026 18:58 / Tim


From athlete and artist to producer

Once a soccer player and a painter, Perego transitioned into film, directing the 2023 feature The Absence of Eden starring Saldaña. He co-founded Leaf Entertainment with partner Michael Cerenzie to actively support auteur filmmakers, explaining he saw a cultural need to protect distinctive creative voices.

Family life and next moves

Perego and Saldaña married in 2013 — he even took her last name — and are parents to three sons: twins Cy and Bowie, 11, and Zen, 9. Saldaña publicly praised him when she won a BAFTA in 2025. Perego is also developing a new directing project, Petrichor, reportedly starring Isabella Rossellini and Valeria Golino.