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Scarlett Johansson’s long-standing reign as the highest-grossing actor in Hollywood may have come to an end, but the milestone was marked with humor rather than heartbreak — thanks to her husband, Colin Jost, and a perfectly timed joke on Saturday Night Live.
During the January 17 edition of Weekend Update, Jost shared the news that Zoe Saldaña, propelled by the blockbuster success of the Avatar franchise, has officially surpassed Johansson to become the highest-grossing actress of all time. As Jost read from the cue cards, a bar graph appeared on screen comparing the two stars’ cumulative box office earnings, setting the stage for a punchline that landed squarely on himself.
“Okay, well let’s see what happens if you include the box office from Scarlett’s husband’s movies,” Jost quipped. A comedic sound effect followed as Johansson’s total dropped from $15.4 billion to $15.1 billion, prompting Jost to burst into laughter and exclaim in disbelief, “It went down?!”
The lighthearted moment followed a significant industry shift. Johansson, who previously held the title of highest-grossing actor of all time, has now slipped to second place with global box office earnings of $16,435,483,784. Saldaña, meanwhile, has surged ahead with an astonishing $16,946,884,815, fueled largely by Avatar: Fire and Ash and the previous installments in James Cameron’s record-breaking sci-fi franchise.
Both actresses owe a substantial portion of their box office dominance to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Saldaña appeared in five Marvel films as Gamora, while Johansson portrayed Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, across nine MCU titles. Saldaña’s advantage, however, extends beyond Marvel, with leading roles in Avatar and Star Trek adding billions to her tally.
Johansson’s post-MCU success remains formidable. Films such as Jurassic World Rebirth, The Jungle Book, Sing, and Lucy have continued to cement her status as one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, even as the rankings shift.
As for Jost, his own box office numbers became part of the joke. According to The Numbers, the comedian’s films have collectively earned $488,489,123 worldwide, thanks to projects including Tom & Jerry (2021), Coming 2 America, Fly Me to the Moon — a Johansson-led film in which he made a cameo — and The Bad Guys 2.
In true SNL fashion, the moment transformed a headline-making industry statistic into a self-aware laugh, proving that while box office crowns may change hands, Johansson and Jost remain one of Hollywood’s most entertaining power couples.
