List of Hollywood's top 10 highest-grossing actors at the global box office

Business Standard

6 days ago

Stardom may be hard to quantify, but the box office never lies. In the end, a star's real worth is measured by their ability to pull audiences into theatres — and that pull is counted in crores. Which is why the highest-grossing names are often the biggest in the business. One characteristic unites the actors who earn the highest at the global box office: longevity.
Over the years, actors like Tom Cruise and Robert Downey Jr. have transformed their careers — evolving from intense, dramatic performers into global box office powerhouses. Meanwhile, stars like Scarlett Johansson and Zoe Saldaña may not have had as long a run, but they've strategically shaped their paths to headline some of the biggest blockbusters of all time.
Whether they're suiting up as superheroes, outrunning dinosaurs, pulling off jaw-dropping stunts, or burning rubber in high-octane car chases, these actors have mastered the art of blockbuster entertainment. They've figured out exactly what keeps audiences coming back — and the box office numbers back them up.
List of the top 10 highest-grossing actors worldwide
1. Scarlett Johansson — $14.8 billion
Johansson has overtaken Samuel L. Jackson as the highest-grossing actor of all time as the face of the recent blockbuster in the "Jurassic Park" franchise, "Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom," which made over $300 million worldwide over the Fourth of July weekend. Playing Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow in 2010's "Iron Man 2," Johansson has improved her performance at the box office.
2. Samuel L. Jackson — $14.6 billion
Sam Jackson's filmography should serve as a model for success in the contemporary cinema industry. The actor has been a staple of box office successes for decades, from "Star Wars" to the MCU to Pixar's smash hit "The Incredibles," not to mention all the iconic roles he is performed in films directed by Spike Lee and Quentin Tarantino.
3. Robert Downey Jr- $14.3 billion
At one point, Hollywood had no interest in working with Robert Downey Jr. Then he received the opportunity that paved the way for his return: the lead in the 2008 film "Iron Man." The profitable Marvel Cinematic Universe, which has made over $31 billion globally to date, made Downey Jr. its face. He has now shown himself to be an essential component of the MCU with the 'Avengers' series.
4. Zoe Saldaña- $14.2 billion
This latest Oscar winner has had years of success at the box office. Saldaña's role selections have been flawless amongst her roles as Neytiri in the epic "Avatar" films, Gamora in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" films, and Uhura in the "Star Trek" franchise.
5. Chris Pratt- $14.1 billion
As the voice of Mario in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," the hero in the "Jurassic World" films, a loving Lego figure in the "The Lego Movie" trilogy, and Star-Lord in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" films (as well as some other Marvel releases), Pratt's efforts have paid off.
6. Tom Cruise — $12.6 billion
Widely seen as one of the last true movie stars, Tom Cruise was dominating the box office long before many on this list even landed their first role. Now in his 60s, Cruise continues to prove his enduring appeal. His latest — and possibly final — outing as Ethan Hunt in "Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning" is holding strong in theatres, having already grossed over $500 million worldwide. That brings the eight-film franchise's total to nearly $5 billion, cementing its legacy as one of Hollywood's biggest action series.
7. Chris Hemsworth — $12.1 billion
Hemsworth has contributed to the Thor franchise's nearly $3 billion global box office total as its face. As a part of the "The Avengers" franchise, he has also contributed to the nearly $8 billion in box office collections for those films. His recent role was in the popular film "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga."
8. Vin Diesel — $11.9 billion
Vin Diesel, the hero of all 10 films in, "Fast" franchise, contributes significantly to the almost $7 billion in global box office. As the voice of Groot in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" franchise, Diesel has also achieved great success.
9. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson — $11.44 billion
Following an amazing professional wrestling career at the WWE, Dwayne steadily increased his box office collection in Hollywood in the early 2000s. However, when he joined the "Fast and Furious" franchise, ticket sales grew as large as his biceps.
He has produced additional successful films, such as "Moana" and "Jumanji" series, and his 2017 film "The Fate of the Furious" has earned over $1 billion at the global box office.
10. Chris Evans — $11.42 billion
Evans is linked to some of the highest-grossing films ever, such as "Avengers: Endgame," which made over $2.7 billion at the global box office in 2019 and is currently the second-highest-grossing film of all time. He has subsequently appeared in box office successes like "Free Guy" and 2024's "Deadpool & Wolverine."