Scarlett Johansson’s long-standing box office milestone has officially been surpassed. The Black Widow star, who previously topped the list of the highest-grossing actors of all time, has now been overtaken by Avatar: Fire and Ash actress Zoe Saldaña, driven by the massive success of James Cameron’s Avatar franchise.
According to Box Office Mojo, Avatar: Fire and Ash amassed $1.23 billion globally by January 12, pushing the cumulative worldwide earnings of films featuring Saldaña to $16.8 billion, Screen Rant reported. Her filmography includes major blockbusters such as Star Trek, Avengers: Endgame, and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Johansson previously held the record with $16.4 billion, while the rest of the top five highest-grossing actors is rounded out by Marvel stars Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Pratt.
Although Avatar: Fire and Ash was nominated for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement at the 2026 Golden Globes, it ultimately lost the award to Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler’s Sinners** during the ceremony hosted by Nikki Glaser on January 11.
However, Saldaña had her own moment of victory at last year’s Golden Globes, where she won Best Supporting Actress, using her acceptance speech to thank co-stars Selena Gomez, Karla Sofía Gascón, and the women behind Emilia Pérez.
