Zoe Saldaña Reacts to Becoming Highest-Grossing Actor of All Time
Zoe Saldaña is celebrating becoming the highest-grossing actor of all time, following the box office success of Avatar: Fire and Ash.
The Oscar winner took to her Instagram on Tuesday to share her appreciation for those who helped her achieve this rare milestone.
“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 in a video. “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.”
According to The Numbers, Saldaña surpassed Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson following the release of the third installment in James Cameron’s Avatar franchise in December, which has grossed $1.23 billion worldwide. She has also starred in the three highest-grossing films of all time, including 2009’s Avatar, 2019’s Avengers: Endgame and 2022’s Avatar: The Way of Water.
However, her blockbuster success doesn’t stop there, as she also appeared in three Guardians of the Galaxy movies and the Star Trek trilogy. In total, per The Numbers, Saldaña’s films have amassed a combined $15.47 billion.
In her video, the Emilia Pérez star also name-dropped some of the filmmakers who supported her throughout her career, including J.J. Abrams, Joe and Anthony Russo, James Gunn and Cameron. She specifically thanked the Avatar helmer “for believing my potential for seeing something in me that I have not always seen in myself, and for challenging me to always rise to the occasion. Your faith, your guidance and your vision, they shape not only these films, but me as an artist.”
Saldaña concluded her message by expressing her appreciation for all her fans. “Your unwavering support, passion and loyalty are the true foundation of this milestone,” she said. “None of this exists without you showing up time and time again with open hearts and enthusiasm. This accomplishment belongs to all of us, and I’m deeply grateful and profoundly humbled. And may the next record breaker be another woman!”
Last year, Saldaña opened up to The Hollywood Reporter about what it’s like to be a part of the Avatar franchise, despite the large gaps between each film, saying, “Something so special takes time.”
“I get to feel very honored that I am a part of something that stands the test of time,” she added. “And in a way, because we don’t have control of how much time it takes to make, it makes it even more precious. There’s something really special about it that is very humbling.”
