Zoe Saldaña has spent 2026 at the top of a list nobody else in Hollywood history has led. As of this week, the gap behind her narrowed by billions.
Tom Holland became the third highest-grossing actor of all time over the August 28–30 weekend, after Spider-Man: Brand New Day pushed past $2.33 billion worldwide. He leapfrogged Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson, and Robert Downey Jr. in roughly two weeks. Ahead of him now sit exactly two names: Scarlett Johansson at $15.4 billion, and Saldaña at $15.47 billion.
At 30, Holland is the youngest actor anywhere on the top-10 list. Saldaña is 48. Johansson is 41. The story here is not just who holds the record it’s how differently the three of them got there.
zoe saldana highest grossing actor
The all-time highest-grossing actors list
Figures come from The Numbers, which tracks lead-role box office. Totals are worldwide gross in US dollars.
| Rank | Actor | Career gross |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zoe Saldaña | $15.47 billion |
| 2 | Scarlett Johansson | $15.4 billion |
| 3 | Tom Holland | above $15.16 billion |
| 4 | Chris Pratt | $15.16 billion |
| 5 | Samuel L. Jackson | $14.61 billion |
| 6 | Robert Downey Jr. | $14.32 billion |
A caution on Holland’s exact number. As of early August he ranked sixth with roughly $13.66 billion. Different outlets are now publishing different totals for him, because trackers count lead-role credits differently and Brand New Day is still adding revenue daily. What’s consistent across every source is the ranking: third, behind Saldaña and Johansson, ahead of Pratt.
How Saldaña got to number one
Saldaña took the top spot in January 2026, after Avatar: Fire and Ash opened. The film pushed her past Johansson and past Samuel L. Jackson, who had both ranked above her in 2024.
The record rests on something no other actor has managed. Saldaña is the only performer to appear in all three of the highest-grossing films ever made: Avatar, Avengers: Endgame, and Avatar: The Way of Water. She is also the first woman in Hollywood to star in four films that each crossed $2 billion globally.
She announced the milestone herself on Instagram, thanking James Cameron for seeing potential in her before she saw it in herself, along with J.J. Abrams and the Russo brothers. Colin Jost, married to the actor Saldaña had just displaced, worked it into an SNL segment days later.
The franchise math explains it. Neytiri in Avatar, Gamora across the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Guardians of the Galaxy, and Nyota Uhura in the rebooted Star Trek. Three separate blockbuster franchises, each running for well over a decade.
Why Holland’s climb looks different
Saldaña and Johansson built their totals across decades and multiple franchises. Holland did it largely on one character.
His per-film average tells that story. Across 24 lead roles, Holland averages $622.1 million per film the highest figure of anyone on the top-10 list. Pratt averages $522.7 million. Saldaña averages $468.8 million across a much longer filmography.
That is what a Spider-Man run does to a career ledger. Brand New Day is his fourth solo Spider-Man film, and it has now spent five consecutive weekends at number one in North America. Its domestic total sits at $891.5 million, closing on Star Wars: The Force Awakens and its all-time North American record of $936.6 million.
Whether Holland actually catches Saldaña is a harder question than the headlines suggest. He is roughly $200–300 million behind Johansson and a bit more behind Saldaña, and Brand New Day is still in theatres. But Saldaña isn’t finished either.
What Saldaña has coming
Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 are both confirmed, with Saldaña returning as Neytiri alongside Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, and Stephen Lang. Release dates are currently set for 2029 and 2031. Given that every Avatar film so far has cleared $1 billion, two more entries would put several billion more on her total.
Outside Pandora, she returned as CIA station chief Joe McNamara in the third season of Special Ops: Lioness, which premiered on Paramount+ on August 2, 2026. She is also filming a heist thriller in Italy about two rival jewel thieves forced to work together, and has taken an executive producer credit on a narrative short film premiering on the festival circuit.
2025 was the year that changed her standing in the industry beyond box office. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Emilia Pérez, becoming the first Dominican American to win an Oscar. In July 2026 she was named to TIME’s 100 Most Influential People list.
The bigger picture
For most of Hollywood’s history, the highest-grossing actor list was a straight line of leading men. It is now led by an Afro-Latina woman from Queens, with another woman second and a 30-year-old third. Jackson and Downey Jr., who anchored the list for years, have both been pushed down.
The reason is franchise structure rather than any shift in star power. Avatar, Marvel, and Star Trek cast ensembles, and ensemble regulars accumulate gross faster than any solo star can. Saldaña happened to be in three of the biggest simultaneously. Holland is proving the same principle from the other direction: one franchise, enormous per-film numbers, and a record set faster than anyone before him.
Zoe Saldaña box office questions answered
Who is the highest-grossing actor of all time?
Zoe Saldaña is the highest-grossing actor of all time, with career box office totalling $15.47 billion according to The Numbers. She took the top spot in January 2026 following the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash, overtaking Scarlett Johansson ($15.4 billion) and Samuel L. Jackson ($14.61 billion).
How much has Zoe Saldaña grossed at the box office?
Films in which Zoe Saldaña has starred have earned $15.47 billion worldwide. She is the only actor to appear in all three of the highest-grossing films ever made Avatar, Avengers: Endgame, and Avatar: The Way of Water and the first woman to headline four films that each grossed more than $2 billion globally.
Is Tom Holland the highest-grossing actor?
No. Tom Holland is the third highest-grossing actor of all time, behind Zoe Saldaña and Scarlett Johansson. He reached third place over the August 28–30, 2026 weekend after Spider-Man: Brand New Day crossed $2.33 billion worldwide, passing Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson, and Robert Downey Jr.
How old is Tom Holland and why does his ranking matter?
Tom Holland is 30, making him the youngest actor on the all-time top-10 highest-grossing list. His per-film average of $622.1 million across 24 lead roles is the highest of anyone on the list, ahead of Chris Pratt’s $522.7 million and Zoe Saldaña’s $468.8 million.
How did Zoe Saldaña become the highest-grossing actor?
Through three simultaneous blockbuster franchises. She plays Neytiri in James Cameron’s Avatar films, Gamora in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Guardians of the Galaxy, and Nyota Uhura in the rebooted Star Trek series. Avatar: Fire and Ash pushed her past Scarlett Johansson in January 2026.
Did Zoe Saldaña win an Oscar?
Yes. Saldaña won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Emilia Pérez, becoming the first Dominican American to win an Oscar. She returned to the 2026 Academy Awards on March 15 as a presenter.
What movies does Zoe Saldaña have coming out?
Avatar 4 and Avatar 5 are confirmed, with Saldaña reprising Neytiri, currently slated for 2029 and 2031. She stars in season three of Special Ops: Lioness, which premiered on Paramount+ on August 2, 2026, and is filming a heist thriller in Italy about rival jewel thieves.
Box office figures are from The Numbers and are subject to revision as films remain in release.