10 Highest-Grossing Actors of All-Time at Global Box Office

The actors who make the most money at the worldwide box office all have two things in common: longevity and they all starred in at least one major franchise.

Whether they're attached to Marvel hits, doing death-defying stunts on impossible missions, hurtling through the galaxy or battling dinosaurs, being an avatar or driving cars fast (and furiously), these actors have cracked the code of what audiences want - and they have the box office stats to prove it. As you will discover, eight of the top 10 are male (three of which are called Chris) but the two female actors (one of whom has won an Oscar) are both in the top 5. Sp, here are the all-time top 10 highest-grossing actors at the worldwide box office, according to figures from The Numbers.

10: Chris Evans $11.42 billion

As Captain America, Evans is attached to some of the biggest box office earners of all time, including 2019's Avengers: Endgame, which is the second-highest-grossing movie of all time at the worldwide box office with over $2.7 billion. Since then, he's shown up in box office hits like Free Guy (just a quick cameo, but it still counts) and 2024's Deadpool & Wolverine.

9: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson $11.44 billion

After a pro wrestling career at the WWE, Johnson headed to Hollywood in the early 2000s, eventually hitting the box office jackpot when he joined the Fast and Furious franchise in 2011 with Fast Five. More billion dollar appearances in this franchise followed, but he's also scored other big hits like the Moana and the Jumanji franchises.

8: Vin Diesel $11.9 billion

As the star in all 10 movies in the Fast franchise, Vin Diesel is a major part of its over $7 billion take. Diesel has also scored big as the voice of Groot in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise. The actor has been in a total of 28 movies during his career, with an average take at the box office of just over $428 million.

7: Chris Hemsworth $12.1 billion

Like Vin Diesel, Hemsworth has also been in 28 movies (averaging $435 million), but its two franchises that firmly established him amongst the highest-grossing actors. As the face of the Thor franchise, Hemsworth has helped it earn close to $3 billion at the worldwide box office and as one of the team in The Avengers franchise, he's also been a part of the close to $8 billion those movies racked up.

6: Tom Cruise $12.6 billion

Now in his 60s, and the winner of two Guinness World Records, Cruise was topping box office charts long before most of the actors on this Top 10 list had their first screen credit. His first major box office success was Risky Business in 1983, but he really came to the fore in 1986 with Top Gun. The latest (and perhaps final) Mission: Impossible brings the total earned from the eight-movie franchise to around $5.5 billion and brings his tally of leading roles to 41.

5: Chris Pratt $14.1 billion

The third Chris on the list, Pratt totted up his position from playing Star-Lord in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies (and several other Marvel blockbusters), a Lego figure in the The Lego Movie franchise, the hero in the Jurassic World movies, and the voice of Mario in The Super Mario Bros. Movie (the highest grossing film based on a video game). Pratt's box office successes puts him into the Top 5.

4: Zoe Saldaña $14.2 billion

The first woman on the list is also the first to win an Oscar - Best Supporting Actor in 2005 in Emilia Pérez - but her global box office success stems from playing Uhura in the modern Star Trek franchise (originally played by Nichelle Nichols), Gamora in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, and Neytiri in James Cameron's wildly successful Avatar films.

3: Robert Downey Jr. $14.3 billion

Twenty years ago, nobody would have bet on him becoming a megastar after years of drug use and brushes with the law but he cleaned himself up, and his phenomenal box office comeback started when he landed the lead role in 2008's Iron Man. With that, Downey Jr. became the face of the lucrative Marvel Cinematic Universe, including 2019's Avengers: Endgame, the second-highest-grossing movie of all time.

2: Samuel L. Jackson $14.6 billion

From Star Wars to the MCU to Pixar's hit The Incredibles, Samuel L. Jackson has been a staple of box-office sensations for decades - and let's not forget all the memorable roles he's played in movies from Spike Lee and Quentin Tarantino. He is not often the lead in the highest-grossing films, but his consistent presence in successful movies contributes to his overall high box office gross.

1: Scarlett Johansson $14.8 billion

As the face of the latest hit movie in the Jurassic Park franchise, Jurassic World Rebirth, which took in over $300 million worldwide over Fourth of July weekend, Johansson has surpassed Jackson to become the highest-grossing actor of all time. Appearances in Iron Man and being a regular fixture in the MCU as a member of The Avengers, helped get her into the top slot.