Now that Avatar: The Way of Water has hit the $2 billion mark in box office sales, Zoe Saldaña has become the first actor to star in four separate movies that have done so. The first Avatar; Avatar: The Way of Water; Avengers: Endgame; and Avengers: Infinity War all made more than $2 billion, according to People, and all starred Saldaña—even if you might have a hard time recognizing the actor under all the prosthetics and animation. For context, only six movies ever have grossed over $2 billion, per CNBC, and the only ones not starring Saldaña are Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Titanic.
When discussing her participation in so many of these big-budget franchise films, Saldaña told Deadline, “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. If anything, I’ve reaped all the benefits of that, I’ve gained friends. I still have mentors that I call and I lean into.”
In the Avatar movies, Saldaña plays the blue-skinned Neytiri, while in the Marvel Cinematic Universe she plays the green-skinned Gamora. Zoe Saldaña has clearly earned that paycheck. It's only a matter of time before she becomes the first actor with five $2 billion box office hits.
