Zoe Saldaña Becomes Highest-Grossing Movie Star of All Time Surpassing Scarlett Johansson

The box office crown has a new owner. Zoe Saldaña has officially dethroned Scarlett Johansson to become the highest-grossing actor of all time. According to data from The Numbers and Entertainment Weekly, Saldaña's cumulative global box office total has reached a staggering $16,859,193,100 as of January 12, 2026.

Zoe Saldaña Highest-Grossing Movie Star Title Fueled by Avatar

The shift in rankings comes as Avatar: Fire and Ash continues its dominant run, crossing the $1.23 billion mark globally. Saldaña, who stars as Neytiri, has benefited immensely from James Cameron's sci-fi epic, which accounts for approximately $6 billion of her career total. Johansson, who held the top spot since last summer, now follows in second place with $16,435,483,784.

The Elite Ten: Top Box Office Performers

• 1st: Zoe Saldaña ($16,859,193,100)
• 2nd: Scarlett Johansson ($16,435,483,784)
• 3rd: Samuel L. Jackson (Core Marvel cast member)
• 4th: Robert Downey Jr. (Core Marvel cast member)
• 5th: Chris Pratt (Star of multiple franchises)

Saldaña's ascent is no fluke. Beyond Pandora, she's been a staple in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Gamora and starred in three Star Trek films. Even her early career in Pirates of the Caribbean contributed to this massive haul. While Johansson saw a boost from Jurassic World Rebirth recently, it wasn't enough to withstand the momentum of the Avatar trilogy.