Top Earning Movie Stars Under 30: Who Makes the Most

Hollywood constantly introduces new faces, but becoming a major movie star while still under 30 is rare. Reaching billions in global box-office receipts is difficult for any actor, and doing so before turning 30 is even more impressive. Lead actors tend to be older—data compiled by film critic Stephen Follows shows the average age of leading men is 42.8 and of leading women 36.7—and only a small fraction of the highest-grossing movie stars achieved that milestone at a young age. Still, several young performers have starred in films that earned hundreds of millions worldwide. Below are the top 20 movie stars under 30 whose films have generated the largest worldwide grosses.

20. Dakota Johnson

Age: 29

Worldwide gross: $1.78 billion

Dakota Johnson rose to wide recognition playing Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades trilogy, which accounted for roughly $1.3 billion of her total box-office. She also appeared in Need for Speed, which earned about $203 million, and the critically praised but commercially modest Bad Times at the El Royale.

19. Taron Egerton

Age: 29

Worldwide gross: $1.8 billion

Taron Egerton broke through with the Kingsman films, which together earned roughly $825 million, and voiced Johnny in the animated hit Sing, which added $634 million. He earned critical acclaim for Rocketman and has continued to expand his range across action and biographical roles.

18. Hailee Steinfeld

Age: 22

Worldwide gross: $1.83 billion

Hailee Steinfeld made her feature debut in True Grit and later starred in the family-friendly Bumblebee, which grossed $468 million. She also voiced Gwen Stacy in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which added another strong box-office showing.

17. Elizabeth Debicki

Age: 28

Worldwide gross: $1.97 billion

Elizabeth Debicki gained widespread visibility as Ayesha in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and has notable credits including The Great Gatsby and Peter Rabbit, each contributing substantially to her cumulative grosses.

16. Margot Robbie

Age: 29

Worldwide gross: $2.21 billion

Margot Robbie’s career includes roles in The Wolf of Wall Street, The Legend of Tarzan and Peter Rabbit, but she gained major mainstream recognition as Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad.

15. Ezra Miller

Age: 26

Worldwide gross: $2.3 billion

Ezra Miller’s credits include the Flash in Justice League and prominent roles in the Fantastic Beasts series, which together have contributed strongly to his box-office total. A standalone Flash film has been planned to further showcase the character.

14. Nicholas Hoult

Age: 29

Worldwide gross: $2.8 billion

Nicholas Hoult began as a child actor in About a Boy and later joined major franchises as Beast in the X-Men series and as Nux in Mad Max: Fury Road, contributing to a substantial career total.

13. Dakota Fanning

Age: 25

Worldwide gross: $3.37 billion

Dakota Fanning began acting as a child and has appeared in more than two dozen films, with several major box-office successes including titles from the Twilight franchise, War of the Worlds and Ocean’s 8.

12. Liam Hemsworth

Age: 29

Worldwide gross: $3.39 billion

Liam Hemsworth has appeared in action films like Independence Day: Resurgence and played a key supporting role across all four Hunger Games films, which together accounted for the bulk of his box-office total.

11. Taylor Lautner

Age: 27

Worldwide gross: $3.56 billion

Taylor Lautner rose to prominence with the Twilight series, which delivered massive paydays for its young stars. He later worked in film and television, branching into different genres and formats.

10. John Boyega

Age: 27

Worldwide gross: $3.73 billion

John Boyega went from British TV and small films to starring as Finn in the recent Star Wars trilogy, which produced the largest share of his box-office total. He also appeared in Pacific Rim Uprising, adding to his cumulative earnings.

9. Daisy Ridley

Age: 27

Worldwide gross: $4.1 billion

Daisy Ridley rose to international fame as Rey in the Star Wars sequels. Additional commercial successes such as Peter Rabbit and Murder on the Orient Express have further increased her total box-office tally.

8. Josh Hutcherson

Age: 26

Worldwide gross: $4.33 billion

Josh Hutcherson’s most lucrative work came from The Hunger Games franchise, where he played Peeta Mellark. Several other family and adventure films, including the Journey to the Center of the Earth titles, contributed to his overall grosses.

7. Kristen Stewart

Age: 29

Worldwide gross: $4.36 billion

Kristen Stewart’s box-office success is anchored by the Twilight franchise, which brought in the largest portion of her total. She has also appeared in a range of other films, from fantasy to suspense, contributing to a diverse résumé.

6. Brie Larson

Age: 29

Worldwide gross: $4.94 billion

Brie Larson, who built an acclaimed independent-film career, joined the Marvel universe as Captain Marvel. That film and her appearance in Avengers: Endgame account for the majority of her box-office total, while earlier roles showed her dramatic range.

5. Jennifer Lawrence

Age: 28

Worldwide gross: $6.02 billion

Jennifer Lawrence has starred in critically acclaimed films as well as major tentpoles. Her leading roles in The Hunger Games and in the newer X-Men entries, alongside a strong indie career, have made her one of the highest-grossing young actresses.

4. Letitia Wright

Age: 25

Worldwide gross: $6.86 billion

Letitia Wright achieved massive box-office impact through her role as Shuri in Black Panther and the Avengers films. Her work in Ready Player One and other high-grossing blockbusters added to her impressive total.

3. Tom Holland

Age: 23

Worldwide gross: $7.54 billion

Tom Holland became globally known after debuting as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War and then headlining several Marvel films. His role as the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man has been central to his box-office success.

2. Daniel Radcliffe

Age: 29

Worldwide gross: $8.37 billion

Daniel Radcliffe earned worldwide recognition and massive box-office returns starring as Harry Potter in the film series that became a global phenomenon. Since the franchise, he has appeared in a variety of films across genres while maintaining a significant career total.

1. Emma Watson

Age: 29

Worldwide gross: $9.68 billion

Emma Watson’s portrayal of Hermione Granger across the Harry Potter films accounts for the largest share of her box-office total. She also led the live-action Beauty and the Beast, which significantly boosted her lifetime grosses, and has continued to work in high-profile dramatic projects.