Hollywood constantly introduces new faces, but achieving major movie-star status at a young age is rare. Reaching blockbuster totals is difficult for any actor, and doing it before age 30 is even harder. The average age of a lead actor is 42.8 for men and 36.7 for women, according to data compiled by film critic Stephen Follows, and only a small fraction of the highest-grossing movie performers reached top box-office figures while still under 30.
Despite those odds, a number of young actors have already appeared in films that have earned hundreds of millions—or billions—worldwide. Below is a curated list of the top 20 movie stars under 30 whose films have generated the largest global box-office totals. Each entry includes age, cumulative worldwide gross from major credits, and highlights of the projects that contributed to their ranking.
20. Dakota Johnson
Chris Pizzello / AP
Age: 29
Worldwide gross: $1.78 billion
Dakota Johnson became widely known for her portrayal of Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades trilogy, which together accounted for roughly $1.3 billion in global box office. Other credits include the racing action film Need for Speed, which earned more than $200 million, and the critically praised, though commercially modest, Bad Times at the El Royale.
19. Taron Egerton
Vianney Le Caer / AP
Age: 29
Worldwide gross: $1.8 billion
Taron Egerton rose quickly with roles in Kingsman: The Secret Service and its sequel, which together took in about $825 million worldwide. He voiced Johnny in the animated hit Sing, contributing roughly $634 million, and earned acclaim for his portrayal of Elton John in Rocketman.
18. Hailee Steinfeld
Chris Pizzello / AP
Age: 22
Worldwide gross: $1.83 billion
Hailee Steinfeld began her film career with a breakout performance in True Grit and has since appeared in major studio projects. Her top-grossing credit is Bumblebee, which earned nearly $468 million, and she contributed voice work to the successful animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
17. Elizabeth Debicki
Jordan Strauss / AP
Age: 28
Worldwide gross: $1.97 billion
Elizabeth Debicki’s profile rose after her role as Ayesha in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. She also appeared in Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby and the family hit Peter Rabbit—each title contributing significant box-office returns.
16. Margot Robbie
Richard Shotwell / AP
Age: 29
Worldwide gross: $2.21 billion
Margot Robbie has built a strong and varied filmography, including The Wolf of Wall Street, The Legend of Tarzan, and Peter Rabbit. She is widely recognized for her energetic portrayal of Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad, which boosted her mainstream visibility.
15. Ezra Miller
Vianney La Caer / AP
Age: 26
Worldwide gross: $2.3 billion
Ezra Miller appears in major franchise entries, including roles in the DCEU and the Fantastic Beasts series. Justice League contributed hundreds of millions, while two Fantastic Beasts films together account for well over a billion in grosses.
14. Nicholas Hoult
Vianney Le Caer / AP
Age: 29
Worldwide gross: $2.8 billion
Nicholas Hoult began acting as a child in About a Boy and later took on roles in blockbusters such as Mad Max: Fury Road. His recurring part as Beast in the X-Men franchise significantly increased his cumulative box-office totals.
13. Dakota Fanning
Richard Shotwell / AP
Age: 25
Worldwide gross: $3.37 billion
Dakota Fanning transitioned from a prolific child actor into mature roles while maintaining box-office clout. She has appeared in many commercially successful films, including entries in the Twilight series and other high-earning titles.
12. Liam Hemsworth
Chris Pizzello / AP
Age: 29
Worldwide gross: $3.39 billion
Liam Hemsworth has participated in major studio projects, including a supporting part across the Hunger Games series—collectively responsible for nearly $3 billion of his total—and a leading role in Independence Day: Resurgence.
11. Taylor Lautner
Richard Shotwell / AP
Age: 27
Worldwide gross: $3.56 billion
Taylor Lautner became a household name through the Twilight franchise, which generated significant earnings for its principal cast. He later moved into television and selective film roles while still benefiting from the popularity of that franchise.
10. John Boyega
Invision / AP
Age: 27
Worldwide gross: $3.73 billion
John Boyega rose from British television and small films to international prominence after being cast as Finn in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. Those installments, along with other commercial projects such as Pacific Rim Uprising, account for his strong box-office total.
9. Daisy Ridley
Vianney Le Caer / AP
Age: 27
Worldwide gross: $4.1 billion
Daisy Ridley became a global star after starring as Rey in the Star Wars sequels. Additional commercial successes such as Peter Rabbit and Murder on the Orient Express further increased her cumulative box-office receipts.
8. Josh Hutcherson
Evan Agostini / AP
Age: 26
Worldwide gross: $4.33 billion
Josh Hutcherson’s most commercially impactful work came from The Hunger Games series, where he played Peeta Mellark. Several other family-adventure films and sequels also contributed significantly to his totals.
7. Kristen Stewart
Charles Sykes / AP
Age: 29
Worldwide gross: $4.36 billion
Kristen Stewart gained huge commercial exposure through the Twilight franchise, which accounts for more than three billion of her cumulative grosses. Her broader filmography includes a mix of studio films and independent projects that add to her total box-office impact.
6. Brie Larson
Jordan Strauss / AP
Age: 29
Worldwide gross: $4.94 billion
Brie Larson had established herself as a respected actress prior to joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Captain Marvel’s global box office exceeded $1.1 billion, and her appearance in Avengers: Endgame further amplified her cumulative total by several billion dollars.
5. Jennifer Lawrence
Jordan Strauss / AP
Age: 28
Worldwide gross: $6.02 billion
Jennifer Lawrence has combined critical acclaim and box-office success across a range of films, from Winter’s Bone to blockbuster franchises such as The Hunger Games and the newer X-Men films. Her consistent presence in commercially successful titles places her among the highest-grossing young actresses.
4. Letitia Wright
Evan Agostini / AP
Age: 25
Worldwide gross: $6.86 billion
Letitia Wright’s breakout came from her role as Shuri in the Black Panther and Avengers films, which were global box-office juggernauts. Her appearance in Ready Player One also contributed to a substantial cumulative total.
3. Tom Holland
Lee Jin-man / AP
Age: 23
Worldwide gross: $7.54 billion
Tom Holland became globally recognized after being cast as Spider-Man in the MCU. He debuted as the character in Captain America: Civil War and continued to appear in multiple Marvel films and his own Spider-Man features, contributing to a very high cumulative box-office figure at a young age.
2. Daniel Radcliffe
Willy Sanjuan / AP
Age: 29
Worldwide gross: $8.37 billion
Daniel Radcliffe amassed huge box-office totals by starring as Harry Potter across the franchise’s multiple installments, a series that remains one of the highest-grossing in film history. Post-Potter, he has taken on diverse roles that expanded his career beyond the wizarding world.
1. Emma Watson
Francois Mori / AP
Age: 29
Worldwide gross: $9.68 billion
Emma Watson tops this list thanks largely to her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films, a franchise that generated billions at the global box office. She also headlined the live-action Beauty and the Beast adaptation, which added over a billion dollars to her overall box-office contributions. Watson’s steady presence in major studio films and high-profile adaptations has made her the highest-grossing actor under 30 on this list.
These young performers illustrate how franchise roles, animated hits, and high-profile studio productions can propel an actor’s cumulative box-office totals. While fame and financial success at a young age are rare, these 20 actors have each reached remarkable commercial milestones early in their careers.