Zoe Saldaña is approaching a milestone that few actors in film history have reached, and the moment is arriving with both statistical weight and cultural resonance.
According to USA Today, the Afro-Dominican actress has officially surpassed Samuel L. Jackson to become the second-highest-grossing actor of all time, with her films earning approximately $15 billion worldwide. She now trails only Scarlett Johansson, whose box office total stands at roughly $15.4 billion. With “Avatar: Fire and Ash” continuing to perform well, that gap is narrowing fast.
The Road To No. 1
The latest installment in the blockbuster franchise she’s been a part of from the beginning has been a key driver of that momentum, opening up to $88 million domestically and quickly surpassing $760 million worldwide. As with previous installments, the film’s global staying power has positioned Saldaña to continue climbing the all-time rankings in the weeks ahead.
Currently, the top-grossing spot belongs to Scarlett Johansson, whose recent lead role in “Jurassic World: Rebirth” helped push her career total past $15 billion. According to Men’s Journal, the film debuted with a $318 million global opening, giving Johansson the edge in what has become one of Hollywood’s closest statistical races.
Zoe Saldaña’s Belief In Herself
Beyond the numbers, Saldaña’s rise reflects a much longer and more personal journey. In a recent profile with The New York Times, she spoke candidly about years spent feeling overlooked despite her success. That tension is part of what makes her recent work, particularly in “Emilia Pérez,” so resonant. In the film, Saldaña delivers a performance that departs sharply from the spectacle-driven roles that defined her career, earning critical praise and attention from the awards circuit.
She told The New York Times that the role allowed her to reconnect with parts of herself she had long set aside, saying the experience reminded her of why she fell in love with acting in the first place.
At this stage in her career, Saldaña represents more than box office dominance. She embodies a rare combination of longevity, global reach, and artistic evolution. As “Avatar: Fire and Ash” continues its theatrical run, her ascent toward the top of the all-time box office list feels less like a statistical inevitability and more like a full-circle moment for an artist who spent years proving she belonged. Whether or not she ultimately surpasses Johansson’s total, Saldaña’s position in film history is already firmly secured.
