Saldaña Breaks Box Office Record as Top-Earning Actor Ever
The Avatar and Marvel star has officially surpassed Scarlett Johansson to claim the throne as Hollywood's highest-grossing performer, with her films earning over $15.4 billion globally.
Zoe Saldaña just claimed Hollywood's ultimate prize. Her films have now earned more than $15.4 bn worldwide, making her the highest-grossing actor in cinema history.
The milestone comes thanks to Avatar: Fire and Ash, which pushed her past Scarlett Johansson for the top spot. Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Downey Jr., and Chris Pratt round out the top five, but they're not even close.
Franchise Powerhouse
Saldaña's success stems from her roles in Hollywood's biggest franchises. She's Gamora in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Neytiri in James Cameron's Avatar series. Nyota Uhura in the Star Trek reboots.
Back in 2023, she became the first actor ever to appear in four different $1 bn movies. Now she's shattered another record.
Her filmography reads like a greatest hits collection. Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl launched her career in the early 2000s. Then came all three Avatar films, five MCU movies including the entire Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, plus Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. The Star Trek trilogy added even more to her total.
Awards and Current Projects
Box office success isn't her only achievement. Saldaña won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Emilia Pérez last year. She's currently starring in Paramount+'s Lioness series.
The future of her biggest franchise remains uncertain. James Cameron hasn't confirmed whether Avatar 4 will happen. "I don't know if the saga goes beyond this point. I hope it does," he said recently.
"I'm not going to rule it out. I mean, I've got to make it in a vigorous way, to handle the kind of volume and energy of the work for another six or seven years. You know what I mean? I might not be able to do that," Cameron added.
Avatar 4 is still scheduled for December 21, 2029, with a new narrator confirmed. Avatar: Fire and Ash continues its theatrical run, cementing Saldaña's place in box office history.