This Hollywood actor just beat Scarlett Johansson to build a $16 billion empire and become the biggest star of 2026
The landscape of Hollywood wealth has been completely redefined this week. As of January 14, 2026, Zoe Saldana has officially secured the title of the highest-grossing female actor of all time, surpassing her Marvel co-star Scarlett Johansson. Driven by the explosive success of Avatar: Fire and Ash, which crossed the $1.23 billion mark yesterday, Zoe’s career box office total now sits at almost $16 billion. This historic milestone has fans asking one major question: has she finally become the richest woman in movies?
The difference between box office power and net worth
As of 2024, Zoe’s films had earned over $14 billion worldwide, ranking her the third-highest-grossing actor behind fellow MCU stars Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson. However, following the release of December’s Avatar sequel, which has brought in $1.23 billion so far, she has now climbed to the top spot, with her movies collectively grossing $15.47 billion, according to The Numbers.
While Zoe Saldaña might just be the newest Queen of Hollywood, her personal net worth tells a different story compared to business moguls. In 2026, the title of richest female actor might just belong to Jami Gertz, whose massive $8 billion to $12 billion fortune comes from her husband’s ownership of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. Similarly, stars like Selena Gomez and Rihanna have reached billionaire status through their beauty empires rather than their film salaries. Despite her record-breaking films, Zoe’s estimated net worth currently sits at approximately $60 million — a figure that is rapidly growing as she pivots toward high-level production.
How Zoe Saldana built her empire
Zoe’s rise to the top of the 2026 box office charts is thanks to a very unexpected golden touch. She is currently the only person to have starred in four separate movies that grossed over $2 billion each: the original Avatar (2009), Avengers: Endgame (2018), Avatar: The Way of Water (2019), and Avengers: Infinity War (2022). By playing pivotal roles in three of the world’s biggest franchises — Avatar, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Star Trek (as Nyota Uhura) — she has become one of the most recognisable faces in modern blockbuster history.
On Tuesday evening, Zoe posted a video to social media expressing her gratitude. In the video she said, “I just want to express my sincerest gratitude for the extraordinary journey that has led me to become the highest-grossing film actor of all time today,” she said, grinning widely. “An achievement made possible entirely, entirely by the incredible franchises and the collaborators that I have been fortunate enough to be a part of, to every director who placed their trust in me.”
Zoe’s background
Zoe Yadira Saldana Nazario was born on June 19, 1978, in New Jersey. Her father was Dominican, and her mother Puerto Rican, reflecting her blended Caribbean heritage. She was raised in Jackson Heights, New York City, alongside her two sisters.
