Zoe Saldana has become the only performer to get star billing in more than one movie that grossed over $2 billion worldwide. Perhaps it’s because of the makeup and CGI, but Saldana is flying a bit under the radar as one of the more bankable female stars in Hollywood, appearing as a major character in both Avatar and now Avengers: Infinity War. She transformed into a Na’vi through groundbreaking motion-capture technology to become Neytiri in Avatar, then for the third time donned the green skin as Gamora in Infinity War.

Of course, Saldana was also a big part of the highly successful Guardians of the Galaxy movies. She’ll also be back as Neytiri in Avatar 2, as she’s already finished filming her scenes. The first installment remains the highest-grossing movie of all time worldwide with a staggering $2.78 billion. And now, the actress can add another $2 billion movie to her resume now that Avengers: Infinity War has officially crossed the $2 billion mark. With that massive milestone, Saldana has entered the most exclusive of company.

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As Reddit user “magikarpcatcher” keenly pointed out, Saldana is now the only actor or actress with “star billing” in two different $2 billion movies, having appeared as part of the main cast in both Avatar and Avengers: Infinity War. It’s worth noting that there are two other movies that have grossed over $2 billion globally, James Cameron’s Titanic ($2.18 billion), and Star Wars: The Force Awakens ($2.06 billion).

An advanced search on IMDB reveals one other actor who appears in both Infinity War and Avatar, and that’s mo-cap specialist Terry Notary, who played Cull Obsidian in the former and a banshee in the latter. But clearly, Notary did not come close to getting his name on the posters or being mentioned among the stars in either movie. Even the two Cameron movies only have one actress credited in both: Julene Renee, who portrayed a dancer in Titanic and then an “ambient room tech” in Avatar.

For the time being, Saldana is in the ultimate rarefied air. She may not be the No. 1-billed star in either movie, but she absolutely plays pivotal roles in both Avengers: Infinity War and Avatar. Additionally, she’s likely going to be back in Avengers 4, despite meeting her end at the hands of Thanos in her father’s quest to obtain the Soul Stone. So she could have at least one more $2 billion movie on her hands.

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Despite her expected return in Avengers 4, it’s unclear how big of a role Gamora will play. She may not actually come back to life, which could relegate the character to appearances in flashbacks and potentially remove Saldana from the top of the bill. But like the rest of the major character deaths, there’s a good chance her demise is somehow undone. Ultimately, there’s no taking away from the accomplishments of both Avengers: Infinity War and Avatar, and Saldana’s accomplishments as a major component of both movies are worth celebrating.

MORE: Avatar Sequels Are Surpassing James Cameron’s Expectations

Source: Reddit

Key Release Dates
  • Avengers: Infinity War / The Avengers 3 (2018)Release date: Apr 27, 2018
  • The Avengers 4 / Avengers: Endgame (2019)Release date: Apr 26, 2019
  • Ant-Man & The Wasp (2018)Release date: Jul 06, 2018
  • Captain Marvel (2019)Release date: Mar 08, 2019
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Matt Dolloff
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Matt Dolloff has been a news writer at Screen Rant since 2016. He’s passionate about many forms of entertainment, whether it’s covering sports in Boston or delivering the latest movie and TV news. His writing experience also extends to music and many aspects of pop culture.

Whether they’re told on the football field or the screen, compelling stories have always piqued Matt’s interests. From an early age, he gravitated toward cinema, sports, music, and their various intersections. As a longtime guitar player and fan of a wide range of movie genres, Matt constantly draws inspiration from artistic expression.

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From Terminator 2 to Goodfellas, Halloween to Happy Gilmore, Star Wars to Schindler’s List, Matt doesn’t look at film through any particular genre – he just likes good movies. And his enthusiasm for them translates through his writing.

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