Zoe Saldana becomes highest-grossing leading actor in global box office history

Zoe Saldana has become the highest-grossing leading actor of all time, with a cumulative box office of USD 15.46 billion from 33 films, driven by blockbusters like the “Avatar” series and “Avengers: Endgame,” surpassing Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson

Los Angeles: Hollywood star Zoe Saldana has emerged as the highest-grossing leading actor of all time at the worldwide box office, bagging the top position at the global rankings following the release of blockbuster success of “Avatar: Fire and Ash”

According to box office tracking website Numbers, which compiles worldwide data on the top 100 stars in leading roles, Saldana ranks first with a cumulative global box office collection of USD 15.46 billion from 33 films, averaging nearly USD 469 million per movie.

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Her record is bolstered by appearances in some of the biggest blockbusters in cinema history, including “Avatar” (2009), which grossed USD 2.92 billion, “Avengers: Endgame” (2019) with USD 2.71 billion, “Avatar: The Way of Water” (2022) at USD 2.32 billion, “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018) with USD 2.04 billion and “Avatar: Fire and Ash” (2025), which has earned over USD 1.23 billion worldwide so far.

Saldana has starred in the three highest-grossing films of all time — the two “Avatar” films and “Avengers: Endgame” — and is the first actress to feature in four movies that have crossed the USD 2 billion mark globally.

Scarlett Johansson is at number two in the list with USD 15.40 billion from 36 films, and Samuel L Jackson at number three with USD 14.61 billion from over 70 films. Other stars in the top 10 include Robert Downey Jr., Chris Pratt, Tom Cruise, Chris Hemsworth, Vin Diesel, Chris Evans and Dwayne Johnson.

Last year, Johansson rose to the top spot after “Jurassic World Rebirth” amassed USD 869 million worldwide. The actor has also appeared in multiple Marvel films.

Reacting to the milestone, Saldana posted a video message on social media on Tuesday evening, thanking filmmakers, collaborators and fans across the world for their support.

“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,” said Saldana, who won her maiden Oscar for her performance in “Emilia Perez” in 2025.

“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,” she said, praising filmmakers like J J Abrams, Joe and Anthony Russo and James Gunn for placing their trust in her.

She particularly thanked James Cameron for “believing my potential for seeing something in me that I have not always seen in myself, and for challenging me to always rise to the occasion”.

“Your faith, your guidance and your vision, they shape not only these films, but me as an artist,” she added.

To her fans, Saldana said their unwavering support, passion and loyalty are the true foundation of this milestone.

“None of this exists without you showing up time and time again with open hearts and enthusiasm. This accomplishment belongs to all of us, and I’m deeply grateful and profoundly humbled. And may the next record breaker be another woman,” she concluded.