Top 20 Highest Grossing Actors Worldwide

What makes someone the highest-grossing actor in movie history?

It is not necessarily the person who has received the biggest paychecks, won the most awards, or sold the most tickets entirely through the power of their name. In the modern movie business, the fastest route to the top is usually a recurring role in one—or preferably several—multibillion-dollar franchises.

That explains why Marvel actors dominate this list. "Avengers: Endgame" alone earned more than $2.7 billion worldwide, and it is the highest-grossing film for 12 of the 20 actors below. Several stars also benefited from voice roles in animated blockbusters, including "Toy Story," "The Super Mario Bros. Movie," "Sing," and the "Guardians of the Galaxy" films.

But the ranking is not exclusively a Marvel honor roll. Tom Cruise built a $12.7 billion total through decades of largely live-action leading roles. Will Smith reached $9 billion without appearing in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Tom Hanks combined franchise work with dramas, comedies, historical films, and animated movies across a career spanning more than four decades.

For comparison, we have also ranked the highest-grossing actors at the domestic box office. The worldwide list looks different because certain franchises and stars perform much more strongly outside North America.

How the Ranking Works

The list counts the cumulative worldwide theatrical grosses of movies in which an actor held a leading role or was part of the lead ensemble. Voice performances count, but cameos and minor supporting appearances generally do not.

That distinction matters. If every cameo were included, Stan Lee would rank near the top because of his brief appearances across the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While technically interesting, such a ranking would reveal very little about the commercial track records of actual leading performers.

These totals are not adjusted for inflation. They also do not represent salaries, profits, or the amount of revenue personally generated by each actor. No reasonable person would argue that one actor deserves full credit for the success of an enormous ensemble movie such as "Avengers: Endgame."

Instead, think of this as a map of the actors whose careers have intersected most often with the largest movies in modern box-office history.

The 20 actors below have appeared in qualifying films that generated a combined **$231.69 billion** worldwide. The figures are based on The Numbers' worldwide leading-role rankings, which include animated voice roles and are updated to reflect the latest reported theatrical grosses.

20. Jeremy Renner — $8.78 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Avengers: Endgame"

Qualifying Films: 20

Average Gross: $439.2 million

Jeremy Renner reaches the top 20 largely through his role as Clint Barton, better known as Hawkeye, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Renner appeared in four "Avengers" movies and "Captain America: Civil War," giving him a remarkably high average despite having only 20 qualifying films.

His non-Marvel hits include "Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol," "Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation," "The Bourne Legacy," and "Arrival."

19. Dave Bautista — $8.84 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Avengers: Endgame"

Qualifying Films: 33

Average Gross: $267.9 million

Dave Bautista transformed himself from a professional wrestler into one of Hollywood's most distinctive franchise actors.

Playing Drax in three "Guardians of the Galaxy" movies and two "Avengers" films accounts for much of his total. Bautista also appeared in "Spectre," "Blade Runner 2049," "Dune," "Dune: Part Two," "Glass Onion," and "Army of the Dead."

Unlike many action stars, he has deliberately used blockbuster roles to pursue increasingly unusual and ambitious character work.

18. Don Cheadle — $9.00 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Avengers: Endgame"

Qualifying Films: 25

Average Gross: $360 million

Don Cheadle joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as James Rhodes, also known as War Machine, in "Iron Man 2." He went on to appear in several of the franchise's most successful films, including "Iron Man 3," "Captain America: Civil War," "Avengers: Infinity War," and "Avengers: Endgame."

Cheadle had already accumulated major commercial credits through the "Ocean's" trilogy, "Rush Hour 2," "Flight," and a long career spanning comedy, drama, action, and independent film.

17. Will Smith — $9.02 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Aladdin"

Qualifying Films: 37

Average Gross: $243.8 million

Will Smith is one of the few actors on this list whose total was built primarily through films marketed around his own star power.

His extraordinary run included "Independence Day," the "Men in Black" franchise, "I, Robot," "Hitch," "The Pursuit of Happyness," "I Am Legend," "Hancock," and the "Bad Boys" movies.

Smith's highest-grossing film is Disney's live-action "Aladdin," which earned more than $1 billion worldwide and surpassed "Independence Day" as the biggest theatrical hit of his career.

16. Emma Watson — $9.29 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2"

Qualifying Films: 16

Average Gross: $580.7 million

Emma Watson has the smallest qualifying filmography of anyone in the top 20. Those 16 movies, however, have averaged an extraordinary $581 million apiece—the highest average on this list.

The eight "Harry Potter" films form the foundation of her total. Watson then added another enormous success by playing Belle in Disney's live-action "Beauty and the Beast," which earned more than $1.2 billion worldwide.

Her position demonstrates the enormous value of joining the right franchise, even without appearing in dozens of films.

15. Mark Ruffalo — $9.95 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Avengers: Endgame"

Qualifying Films: 26

Average Gross: $382.6 million

Mark Ruffalo replaced Edward Norton as Bruce Banner and the Hulk beginning with 2012's "The Avengers." That casting decision placed him in four of the highest-grossing superhero movies ever released.

Outside Marvel, Ruffalo has built an unusually varied career through films including "13 Going on 30," "Shutter Island," "Now You See Me," "Spotlight," "Dark Waters," and "Poor Things."

He finishes only about $10 million behind fellow Marvel star Tom Holland.

14. Tom Holland — $9.96 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Spider-Man: No Way Home"

Qualifying Films: 18

Average Gross: $553.3 million

Tom Holland reached nearly $10 billion from just 18 qualifying films. His average of more than $553 million per movie trails only Emma Watson among the actors in the top 20.

Holland's Spider-Man appeared in "Captain America: Civil War," two "Avengers" films, and three solo adventures. "Spider-Man: No Way Home" earned more than $1.9 billion worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing movies ever released.

Holland has also added commercial successes including "Uncharted" and Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey."

13. Johnny Depp — $10.36 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest"

Qualifying Films: 54

Average Gross: $191.9 million

Johnny Depp became one of the biggest movie stars of his generation after transforming Captain Jack Sparrow into the face of Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise.

The five "Pirates" films account for billions of dollars in worldwide revenue. "Dead Man's Chest" remains Depp's biggest hit, with more than $1.06 billion in global ticket sales.

His total also includes "Alice in Wonderland," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "The Tourist," "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them," and "The Crimes of Grindelwald."

12. Tom Hanks — $10.94 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Toy Story 4"

Qualifying Films: 59

Average Gross: $185.4 million

Tom Hanks assembled his total through a combination of animated blockbusters, prestige dramas, historical films, thrillers, and some of the most beloved comedies ever made.

His voice role as Woody in the "Toy Story" franchise provided four enormous hits, with "Toy Story 4" earning more than $1.07 billion worldwide. Hanks also starred in "Forrest Gump," "Cast Away," "Saving Private Ryan," "The Da Vinci Code," "Angels & Demons," "Apollo 13," "Sully," and "Elvis."

Unlike most members of the top 20, his total is not dependent on a superhero role.

11. Bradley Cooper — $11.39 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Avengers: Endgame"

Qualifying Films: 30

Average Gross: $379.8 million

Bradley Cooper does not appear physically in his highest-grossing movies. He provides the voice of Rocket in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Avengers" franchises.

That role placed Cooper in five Marvel blockbusters, including "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Avengers: Endgame."

His live-action career has been commercially formidable as well. Cooper starred in the "Hangover" trilogy, "American Sniper," "A Star Is Born," "Limitless," "Silver Linings Playbook," and "American Hustle."

10. Dwayne Johnson — $11.47 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Furious 7"

Qualifying Films: 41

Average Gross: $279.7 million

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson built one of Hollywood's most commercially consistent careers by moving between action movies, family comedies, animated films, and established franchises.

Joining the "Fast & Furious" series as Luke Hobbs helped elevate Johnson into the industry's top tier. "Furious 7" earned more than $1.5 billion worldwide.

His other major hits include "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle," "Jumanji: The Next Level," "Moana," "San Andreas," "Rampage," "Black Adam," "Hobbs & Shaw," and several "Journey" films.

9. Chris Evans — $11.49 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Avengers: Endgame"

Qualifying Films: 29

Average Gross: $396.2 million

Chris Evans spent nearly a decade playing Steve Rogers, better known as Captain America, across the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

His three standalone "Captain America" films were joined by four "Avengers" movies and several additional appearances. Those films transformed Evans from a working actor with a previous superhero credit in "Fantastic Four" into one of the world's highest-grossing stars.

Outside Marvel, his films include "Snowpiercer," "Knives Out," "The Gray Man," "Gifted," and the animated adventure "Lightyear."

8. Vin Diesel — $12.04 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Avengers: Infinity War"

Qualifying Films: 28

Average Gross: $430.1 million

Vin Diesel has two enormously valuable franchise identities: Dominic Toretto in the "Fast & Furious" movies and the voice of Groot in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The "Fast" franchise made Diesel one of the biggest live-action stars in international markets. His Groot role then added the grosses of the "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Avengers" films—even though the character's vocabulary consists almost entirely of variations on the same sentence.

Diesel's average of approximately $430 million per qualifying film is among the highest in the top 20.

7. Chris Hemsworth — $12.25 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Avengers: Endgame"

Qualifying Films: 31

Average Gross: $395.1 million

Chris Hemsworth became an international star through his role as Thor, appearing in four standalone movies and four "Avengers" films.

His Marvel career accounts for most of his total, but Hemsworth has also starred in "Snow White and the Huntsman," "The Huntsman: Winter's War," "Ghostbusters," "Men in Black: International," "Rush," and "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga."

Streaming hits such as "Extraction" helped expand his popularity but do not contribute to this ranking because they did not receive conventional worldwide theatrical releases.

6. Tom Cruise — $12.67 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Top Gun: Maverick"

Qualifying Films: 45

Average Gross: $281.5 million

Tom Cruise is arguably the most impressive person on this list because he generated almost all of his total as the central, physically present star of his movies.

Cruise has led the "Mission: Impossible" franchise since 1996. He also starred in "Top Gun," "War of the Worlds," "The Last Samurai," "Minority Report," "A Few Good Men," "Jerry Maguire," "The Mummy," and "Edge of Tomorrow."

"Top Gun: Maverick" became the biggest hit of his career, earning more than $1.45 billion worldwide. Cruise is the highest-ranked actor in the top 20 without a recurring Marvel role.

5. Chris Pratt — $14.18 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Avengers: Endgame"

Qualifying Films: 28

Average Gross: $506.5 million

Chris Pratt has enjoyed one of the most lucrative franchise runs in Hollywood history.

He plays Peter Quill in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Avengers" movies, Owen Grady in the "Jurassic World" franchise, and provides the voice of Mario in "The Super Mario Bros. Movie." He also voiced Emmet in "The Lego Movie" franchise.

Those four properties helped Pratt average more than $506 million per qualifying film. Only a small number of actors have appeared in this many unrelated blockbuster franchises.

4. Robert Downey Jr. — $14.32 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Avengers: Endgame"

Qualifying Films: 45

Average Gross: $318.1 million

Robert Downey Jr. became the cornerstone of the Marvel Cinematic Universe when "Iron Man" arrived in 2008.

Downey played Tony Stark across three "Iron Man" films, four "Avengers" movies, "Captain America: Civil War," and "Spider-Man: Homecoming." The films collectively generated billions and helped establish the interconnected-franchise model that reshaped Hollywood.

His non-Marvel successes include the "Sherlock Holmes" films, "Tropic Thunder," "Due Date," and "Oppenheimer." His return to Marvel in a new role gives him a chance to climb even higher.

3. Samuel L. Jackson — $14.61 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Avengers: Endgame"

Qualifying Films: 71

Average Gross: $205.8 million

Samuel L. Jackson has appeared in more qualifying movies than anyone else in the top 20.

His role as Nick Fury connected him to numerous Marvel films, including the "Avengers," "Captain America," "Captain Marvel," and "Spider-Man" franchises. He also voiced Frozone in "The Incredibles" and "Incredibles 2."

Jackson's filmography extends far beyond franchises. It includes "Jurassic Park," "Pulp Fiction," "A Time to Kill," "The Hateful Eight," "Kong: Skull Island," "Kingsman: The Secret Service," and three "Star Wars" prequels.

2. Scarlett Johansson — $15.40 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Avengers: Endgame"

Qualifying Films: 37

Average Gross: $416.3 million

Scarlett Johansson played Natasha Romanoff, better known as Black Widow, across nine Marvel films. Those appearances include four "Avengers" movies, two "Captain America" installments, "Iron Man 2," "Black Widow," and a brief appearance in "Captain Marvel."

Johansson also benefited from major non-Marvel hits. She voiced Ash in the "Sing" franchise and Kaa in Disney's live-action "The Jungle Book." She later added another major blockbuster with "Jurassic World Rebirth."

With more than $15.4 billion in qualifying worldwide grosses, Johansson would hold the top spot were it not for an actress who managed to land major roles in both Marvel and the biggest film franchise of all time.

1. Zoe Saldaña — $15.72 Billion

Highest-Grossing Film: "Avatar"

Qualifying Films: 34

Average Gross: $462.3 million

Zoe Saldaña is the highest-grossing actor in worldwide box-office history.

Her career represents an almost impossibly successful collection of franchise choices. Saldaña plays Neytiri in the "Avatar" films, Gamora in the "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Avengers" movies, and Nyota Uhura in the modern "Star Trek" series.

The original "Avatar" remains the highest-grossing film ever released, with more than $2.9 billion worldwide. "Avatar: The Way of Water" added more than $2.3 billion, while "Avatar: Fire and Ash" pushed Saldaña's career total even higher.

She also appeared in "Avengers: Endgame" and "Avengers: Infinity War," meaning her filmography includes four movies that each earned more than $2 billion.

No other performer has occupied such important roles across three different science-fiction and superhero franchises of that scale. With additional "Avatar" sequels planned, her lead is not merely a product of past success. It may continue growing for years.