Move over, Scar-Jo, there’s a new highest-grossing actor in town, and it’s all thanks to one major box office successful franchise.
We all know actors make a lot of money for what they do, but it’s always striking to see how much it affects their rankings relative to other stars.
If you’re the highest-grossing celebrity, it means you’re booked and busy and clearly making fabulous career moves. So, when someone gets put at the top, we’re all going to pay attention.
Scarlett Johansson remains in second place with a combined box office total of $16,435,483,784 across 56 projects, thanks to her roles in Marvel’s Avengers and Black Widow, according to The Numbers.
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She's also got the Jurassic World franchise under her belt, as well as the Disney live-action remake of The Jungle Book. However, another actor secured it for a 2025 release.
So, who could it be?
It’s Zoe Saldaña.
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Saldaña, 47, played Neytiri alongside Sam Worthington’s Jake Sully in the Avatar franchise, created by James Cameron.
The first came in 2009 with Avatar, followed by 2022’s The Way of Water and last year’s Avatar: Fire and Ash, released in December.
The third flick grossed $1.23 billion worldwide, per Box Office Mojo, solidifying her place as the top-grossing actress.
Saldaña had previously portrayed Gamora in The Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, as well as 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War and 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, which crossed over with Johansson’s globally acclaimed franchise.
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She also starred in three Star Trek movies with the likes of Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Simon Pegg. She was also in the Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, and need I mention the A-list cast?
As of now, she has a total of $16,859,193,100 across 48 projects, which is impressive.
However, she’s not done yet, as she has two more Avatar films that follow life on the Moon, on Pandora, and the Na’vi people.
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It was confirmed that the films will continue for some time, with Cameron previously describing his plans for the world.
“We’re fully written through movie five, and I’ve got ideas for six and seven,” he told People in 2024. “Although I’ll probably be handing the baton on at that point. I mean, mortality catches up.”
On Tuesday evening (January 13), Saldaña posted a video to social media to thank those who helped her on her journey.
“I just want to express my sincerest gratitude for the extraordinary journey that has led me to become the highest-grossing film actor of all time today,” she said.
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“An achievement made possible entirely, entirely by the incredible franchises and the collaborators that I have been fortunate enough to be a part of, to every director who placed their trust in me.”
Topics: Scarlett Johansson, Film and TV, James Cameron, Marvel
Britt Jones