Zoe Saldaña has officially cemented her place at the very top of Hollywood history.
Thanks to the massive box office success of Avatar: Fire and Ash, the actress has surged to become the highest-grossing actor of all time, a milestone that reflects both her longevity and her unparalleled presence in blockbuster cinema.

While the achievement may seem surprising at first glance, a closer look at Saldaña’s career makes it feel almost inevitable. She has been a central figure in some of the most successful film franchises ever made, portraying unforgettable characters such as Gamora in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Neytiri in James Cameron’s Avatar saga, and Nyota Uhura in the Star Trek reboot series. Few actors can claim such cultural and commercial impact across multiple global franchises.

With Avatar: Fire and Ash pushing her career total past $15.4 billion in global box office revenue, Saldaña has temporarily dethroned Scarlett Johansson, who previously held the record. She now stands comfortably ahead of other box office giants including Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Downey Jr., and Chris Pratt, who occupy the next spots on the all-time list.

Her record-breaking run didn’t start this year. Back in 2023, Saldaña became the first actor in history to appear in four films that each grossed over $1 billion worldwide, a feat that underscored her unique consistency in choosing commercially successful projects. With her latest achievement, she adds yet another historic milestone to an already extraordinary résumé.

Saldaña’s rise has been decades in the making. Since her film debut in the early 2000s, she has appeared in an astonishing number of major blockbusters, including Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, all three Avatar films released so far, five MCU entries — notably the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy as well as Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame — and the full Star Trek reboot trilogy. Her ability to balance performance-heavy roles with large-scale spectacle has made her indispensable to franchise filmmaking.

Beyond box office success, Saldaña has also earned critical acclaim. Last year, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the musical Emilia Pérez, proving that her talent extends well beyond visual-effects-driven cinema. The win further solidified her reputation as a versatile and respected performer.

Currently, Saldaña can be seen starring in the Paramount+ series Lioness, while her future on the big screen remains closely tied to the fate of the Avatar franchise. Director James Cameron has yet to officially confirm whether Avatar 4 will move forward as planned, expressing some uncertainty about continuing the saga due to the sheer scale and physical demands of the project.

“I don’t know if the saga goes beyond this point. I hope it does,” Cameron recently admitted. “I’m not going to rule it out, but it takes an enormous amount of energy to sustain this kind of work for another six or seven years.”

For now, Avatar 4 is still scheduled for a December 21, 2029 release, with a new narrator already confirmed. Meanwhile, Avatar: Fire and Ash continues to draw audiences in cinemas worldwide, further reinforcing Zoe Saldaña’s unmatched legacy at the box office.

Whether or not the Avatar saga continues beyond its current plans, one thing is certain: Zoe Saldaña’s place in film history is already secured, not just as a franchise icon, but as the most commercially successful actor the industry has ever seen.