In a remarkable achievement, Zoe Saldaña has become the first actor to star in four movies that have each grossed over $2 billion worldwide. The latest addition to this exclusive club is Disney and 20th Century Studios’ “Avatar: The Way of Water,” which reached the milestone this past weekend.
Saldaña’s box office success includes her roles in 2009’s “Avatar” ($2.87 billion), 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame” ($2.8 billion), 2018’s “Avengers: Infinity War” ($2.05 billion), and now “Avatar: The Way of Water” ($2.3 billion). This accomplishment solidifies her status as one of the most prolific modern movie stars, known for her significant roles in major franchises such as “Avatar,” “The Avengers,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” and “Star Trek.”
In the “Avatar” series, Saldaña portrays Neytiri, a formidable Na’vi warrior from Pandora. Within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, she is recognized for her role as Gamora, a member of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore, praised Saldaña’s career choices, stating, “This is a major accomplishment and an example of a perfect career trajectory reflecting the solid role choices made by [Saldaña] and her team. If you consider how many people around the world have seen the actor on-screen, it is truly mind-boggling given the near $10 billion earned by these films collectively and the footprint of impressions this represents.”
Director James Cameron, who helmed both “Avatar” films, also reached a milestone, becoming the first director with three films surpassing $2 billion in global earnings. His other $2 billion film is the 1997 classic “Titanic,” which is set for a 3D re-release this Valentine’s Day.
Saldaña, who will reprise her role as Gamora in the upcoming “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3,” has previously expressed mixed feelings about her extensive work in franchise films. In an interview with Women’s Wear Daily, she shared, “I feel that for the last 10 years of my life, I’ve been just stuck. I felt stuck doing these franchises. I’m very grateful for the opportunities that they provided, from collaborating with amazing directors and getting to meet cast members that I consider friends and getting to play a role that fans, especially children, love.”
Despite these sentiments, Saldaña later clarified her gratitude for the success these roles have brought her. In a conversation with Deadline, she stated, “I feel grateful and like the luckiest girl in this town knowing that I was invited to join films with special directors in a special cast. And they resonated with people so much so that we get a chance to come back again and come back another time.”
Reflecting on her dual roles as a mother and an actor, Saldaña added, “I think that once I started my family, it just became really hard for me to sustain both worlds and also then cater to this curiosity of playing other different characters or playing earthlings, you know? But I’m happy in space. I’ve always been happy in space. I relate to people that love space as well.”
“Avatar: The Way of Water” is currently playing in theaters, continuing to draw audiences worldwide and cementing Saldaña’s place in cinematic history.