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News that Zoe Saldaña has unseated Scarlett Johansson as the highest-grossing actress sparked laughs and a playful response from Colin Jost on Saturday Night Live. Jost turned the box-office milestone into a running gag, mixing pride and mock concern in a bit that had the studio audience roaring.
Zoe Saldaña’s rise: what the new numbers mean
After the release of the latest Avatar installment, industry tallies show Zoe Saldaña overtaking Scarlett Johansson in cumulative ticket receipts. The shift reflects the enduring global pull of blockbuster franchises and strong returns for big-studio tentpoles.
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- Zoe Saldaña benefits from roles in massive franchises, including Avatar.
- Scarlett Johansson remains one of Hollywood’s most bankable performers.
- Box-office totals can change as new releases post earnings and catalog titles continue to draw viewers.
Colin Jost’s Weekend Update gag and the punchline
On SNL’s Weekend Update, Jost relayed the news with a comic twist. He suggested cheekily that the total might shift if one counted his own films alongside his wife’s.
He played up the numbers, feigning surprise that Johansson’s tally could shrink slightly after the recalculation. The joke hinged on the odd logic of combining spouses’ movie grosses to produce a headline.
How the joke landed
The audience responded with big laughs at the absurdity and the gentle self-awareness. Jost leaned into the gag, implying a small role in beefing up their household’s cinematic footprint.
Jost’s cinematic resume and box-office context
Beyond his SNL duties, Colin Jost has appeared in multiple commercial films. Those credits, while not on the same scale as blockbuster leads, contribute to his industry presence.
- How to Be Single
- Coming 2 America
- The Bad Guys 2
- Fly Me to the Moon (alongside Johansson)
Jost referenced the idea that, combined, he and Johansson represent a strong box-office pairing. He joked about often being linked to successful movies, using self-deprecation to amplify the gag.
Numbers and headlines: the box-office figures
Industry trackers showed Johansson’s cumulative gross shifting modestly after the new tallies were applied. Reports noted a slight change in her total, which Jost used as the punchline on air.
Box-office totals: media reports placed Johansson’s cumulative figure around the mid-teens in billions of dollars before the adjustment. Small fluctuations can make big headlines when records are at stake.
Personal side: marriage and family
Colin Jost and Scarlett Johansson have been married since 2020. The couple share a son, Cosmo, and Johansson is also mother to a daughter from a prior relationship.
- Married in 2020
- Son: Cosmo
- Johansson’s older daughter: Rose, from a previous marriage
The playful back-and-forth in Jost’s routine highlighted how celebrity milestones often get reframed through humor and personal anecdotes.
