The panorama of Hollywood wealth has been utterly redefined this week. As of January 14, 2026, Zoe Saldana has formally secured the title of the highest-grossing feminine actor of all time, surpassing her Marvel co-star Scarlett Johansson. Pushed by the explosive success of Avatar: Hearth and Ash, which crossed the $1.23 billion mark yesterday, Zoe’s profession field workplace complete now sits at virtually $16 billion. This historic milestone has followers asking one main query: has she lastly grow to be the richest lady in films?
The distinction between field workplace energy and web value
As of 2024, Zoe’s movies had earned over $14 billion worldwide, rating her the third-highest-grossing actor behind fellow MCU stars Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson. Nevertheless, following the discharge of December’s Avatar sequel, which has introduced in $1.23 billion thus far, she has now climbed to the highest spot, along with her films collectively grossing $15.47 billion, in accordance with The Numbers.
Whereas Zoe Saldaña would possibly simply be the most recent Queen of Hollywood, her private web value tells a distinct story in comparison with enterprise moguls. In 2026, the title of richest feminine actor would possibly simply belong to Jami Gertz, whose large $8 billion to $12 billion fortune comes from her husband’s possession of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. Equally, stars like Selena Gomez and Rihanna have reached billionaire standing by their magnificence empires relatively than their movie salaries. Regardless of her record-breaking movies, Zoe’s estimated web value presently sits at roughly $60 million — a determine that’s quickly rising as she pivots towards high-level manufacturing.
How Zoe Saldana constructed her empire
Zoe’s rise to the highest of the 2026 field workplace charts is due to a really surprising golden contact. She is presently the one individual to have starred in 4 separate films that grossed over $2 billion every: the unique Avatar (2009), Avengers: Endgame (2018), Avatar: The Approach of Water (2019), and Avengers: Infinity Conflict (2022). By enjoying pivotal roles in three of the world’s largest franchises — Avatar, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Star Trek (as Nyota Uhura) — she has grow to be one of the vital recognisable faces in trendy blockbuster historical past.
On Tuesday night, Zoe posted a video to social media expressing her gratitude. Within the video she stated, “I simply wish to categorical my sincerest gratitude for the extraordinary journey that has led me to grow to be the highest-grossing movie actor of all time in the present day,” she stated, grinning extensively. “An achievement made potential completely, completely by the unbelievable franchises and the collaborators that I’ve been lucky sufficient to be part of, to each director who positioned their belief in me.”
Zoe’s background
Zoe Yadira Saldana Nazario was born on June 19, 1978, in New Jersey. Her father was Dominican, and her mom Puerto Rican, reflecting her blended Caribbean heritage. She was raised in Jackson Heights, New York Metropolis, alongside her two sisters.