Zoe Saldaña Is the Second-Highest Grossing Box Office Star of All Time, And Hollywood Didn’t See Her Coming
- Sahndra Fon Dufe
- Jan 4
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 5
With $14.9B in global box office earnings, Zoe Saldaña is now the second-highest grossing movie star of all time. Here’s what the numbers include, what they leave out, and why this moment matters in terms of how Hollywood measures power.
As first reported by Entertainment Tonight, Zoe Saldaña has officially become the second-highest grossing box office star of all time, with her films earning an astonishing $14,998,849,825 (fourteen billion, nine hundred ninety-eight million, eight hundred forty-nine thousand, eight hundred twenty-five dollars) worldwide.
Entertainment Tonight called her the “Billion-Dollar Woman.” But the title undersells the significance of what this moment represents.
This isn’t just about one franchise hit or one era. It’s about strategic longevity, ensemble dominance, and a quiet redefinition of power in Hollywood.
What Films Make Up the $14.9B?
Saldaña’s total reflects the combined global theatrical box office of every film in which she appears — leads, co-leads, and ensemble roles included.
The Avatar Franchise
Avatar – $2.92B
Avatar: The Way of Water – $2.32B
Avatar: Fire and Ash – currently adding hundreds of millions globally
Together, Avatar contributes well over $5B, making Saldaña the only actor in history to star in multiple $2B+ films.
The Criticism, Too
While critics continue to debate the franchise’s colonial framing, some calling it “extractive,” others crediting Neytiri as one of cinema’s most sustained depictions of Indigenous resistance, the box office remains unmoved.
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy & Avengers
As Gamora, Saldaña became a core emotional anchor of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel films featuring Saldaña account for over $7B of her total, achieved without ever being the titular hero.
Guardians of the Galaxy – $773M
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – $869M
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – $845M
Avengers: Infinity War – $2.05B
Avengers: Endgame – $2.79B
Star Trek
Star Trek – $385M
Star Trek Into Darkness – $467M
Star Trek Beyond – $343M
Another $1.1B+ added before Avatar and Marvel reached full dominance.
And What About From Scratch?
Netflix originals do not count toward box-office totals because they are not theatrical releases.
Saldaña’s intimate Netflix romance From Scratch, set partly in Italy, does not count toward box office totals because it was a streaming-only release. (But culturally, it matters.
From Scratch reminded audiences that Saldaña’s power extends beyond CGI worlds, reaffirming her range and quietly
expanding her audience.
So while From Scratch doesn’t move the $14.9B needle numerically, it strengthens her legacy and versatility, which is why it absolutely belongs in this conversation. Box office measures revenue proximity. Legacy measures choice. And Saldaña has both.
Where She Ranks
Saldaña now sits:
Just behind Scarlett Johansson ($15.4B)
Just ahead of Samuel L. Jackson ($14.6B)
Among the top five highest-grossing stars:
Two are women
Two are people of color
One is an Afro-Latina woman
Hollywood didn’t build this system for Saldaña and yet she mastered it.
Top 10 Highest-Grossing Box Office Stars (Approx.)
Scarlett Johansson – $15.4B
Zoe Saldaña – $14.99B
Samuel L. Jackson – $14.6B
Robert Downey Jr. – $14B
Chris Pratt – $13B
Tom Cruise – $12.5B
Chris Hemsworth – $11.7B
Vin Diesel – $11.5B
Dwayne Johnson – $11.4B
Leonardo DiCaprio – $10.9B
Representation Snapshot
Women: 2 / 10
People of Color: 3 / 10
Black Women: 1 / 10
Beyond Blue Skin: From Space Warriors to Soft Romance
What makes Saldaña’s achievement especially striking is her range. Yes, she’s a sci-fi titan, with Guardians of the Galaxy (and sequels) as Gamora and Avengers: Endgame.
But she’s also shown a quieter, deeply intimate side, notably in the tender Netflix romance From Scratch, set partly in Italy. The series reminded audiences that behind the franchises is an actress capable of softness, longing, and everyday vulnerability.
That balance, spectacle and soul is rare at this level.
Where She’s From, and Who She’s Doing This For
Saldaña is proudly Afro-Latina, born in New Jersey to Dominican and Puerto Rican parents, and raised partly in the Dominican Republic. She has consistently spoken about identity, language, and visibility, often without making it a marketing hook.
Zoe Saldana and her children twins Cy Arido Perego and Bowie Ezio Perego with Zen Anton Hilario Perego attend the world premiere of Disney and Pixar's "Elio" at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles on June 10, 2025.
Lisa O'connor/AFP via Getty Images
She’s also a mother of three sons, whom she jokingly refers to as “Gen-Alpha kids,” and, in a now-viral anecdote, she’s shared that they still haven’t fully grasped just how famous their mother is. (They haven’t even watched most of her films yet, especially Avatar.) There’s something poetic and even cute about that.
A Legacy Written in Numbers, and Choice
Box office rankings tell us who stands closest to money, not who carries the most risk, emotional labor, or cultural weight. They reward ensemble proximity over authorship, franchise longevity over originality, and systems built to replicate familiarity. Zoe Saldaña became indispensable without being centered. Bankable without being branded. Historic without being loud.
If the industry measured emotional gravity, narrative necessity, or cultural translation across borders, the numbers might look even more radical.
Zoe Saldaña didn’t chase headlines. She didn’t build a persona around controversy. She earned her place, repeatedly, across decades, genres, and global markets. Saldaña is quietly rewriting the blueprint of what sustained, global stardom can look like for women, and for women of color in Hollywood.
And she’s not done yet.
Until then, $14.9 billion will have to speak for itself.
Comments