Highest-grossing actors under the age of 30
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Highest-grossing actors under the age of 30
Becoming a successful actor is a long shot at best, and parlaying that career into high-grossing box office stats seems like an impossible dream. But plenty of young movie stars have done just that, establishing themselves as next-level echelons in the film industry and making their mark long before they hit their mid-life years.
To determine who these Hollywood heavy hitters are and how they line up in the box office, Stacker looked at December 2022 data from The Numbers to rank the top 30 above-the-line actors under 30 according to total domestic box office earnings. In addition to the domestic box office, each actor’s overall average box office earnings are listed.
Most of these actors started their careers as children, working in theater, commercials, and television, before landing breakout roles in films and film franchises that would go on to be worldwide hits. In addition to bringing box office gold to their respective films, these young artists have been nominated for and won multiple awards for their roles. Some have segued into producing and directing, proving that, despite their youth, they are serious players in the industry with skill sets beyond the stage and screen. Many are in their early to mid-20s now, while some have barely hit their teen years, but all have done incredibly well with their careers throughout a relatively short amount of time.
Look at this compilation of the film industry’s highest-grossing actors under 30 and see how they got to where they are today, as well as some of the plans and projects they might have in the works.
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#30. Dominique Thorne
– Age: 25
– Domestic box office: $422.7 million
– Average per movie: $422.7 million
Born in New York to two Trinidadian immigrants, Dominique Thorne was awarded the U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts in her senior year in high school. She made her feature debut in the 2018 drama “If Beale Street Could Talk” and wore a 50-plus-pound suit playing the superhero Ironheart in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” She’ll reprise the role of Ironheart in the upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe film “Avengers: Secret Wars.”
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#29. Willow Shields
– Age: 22
– Domestic box office: $424.7 million
– Average per movie: $424.7 million
Willow Shields played a handful of TV roles before starring as Primrose Everdeen—younger sister to Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence)—in the Hunger Games film series. Her twin sister, Autumn, and older brother, River, are also actors. She currently has three projects in various states of production or development.
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#28. Julian Dennison
– Age: 20
– Domestic box office: $430.7 million
– Average per movie: $143.6 million
This New Zealand actor garnered international acclaim for his performance in the 2016 adventure dramedy “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” from director Taika Waititi. To date, his biggest box office earners are the action blockbusters “Deadpool 2” and “Godzilla vs. Kong.” He also provides the voice of Pierce on the Australian animated TV show “The Strange Chores.”
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#27. Jayme Lawson
– Age: 25
– Domestic box office: $445.5 million
– Average per movie: $111.4 million
This Juilliard School graduate appeared in two major Hollywood tentpoles and a Showtime drama series in 2022 alone. In addition to the roles of mayoral candidate Bella Reál in “The Batman” and Shante in “The Woman King,” she played a young Michelle Obama on the anthology show “The First Lady.” She’s currently attached to star as civil rights advocate Betty Shabazz in “Genius: MLK/X,” the upcoming fourth installment of an ongoing anthology series.
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#26. Naomi Scott
– Age: 29
– Domestic box office: $458.7 million
– Average per movie: $91.7 million
Following roles in the TV movie “Lemonade Mouth” and sci-fi series “Terra Nova,” this English actor was named a “Star of Tomorrow” by Screen International. In 2019, she played Princess Jasmine in Disney’s live-action version of “Aladdin.” She’s expected to reprise the role in a future sequel that’s currently in pre-production.
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#25. Keke Palmer
– Age: 29
– Domestic box office: $461.2 million
– Average per movie: $51.2 million
Multihyphenate Keke Palmer appeared in her first film by age 11 and signed her first record deal the following year. She headlined the 2006 drama “Akeelah and the Bee” and would later become one of Nickelodeon’s brightest young stars. Most recently, she played a lead role in Jordan Peele’s sci-fi horror dramedy “Nope.”
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#24. Ansel Elgort
– Age: 28
– Domestic box office: $473.6 million
– Average per movie: $43.1 million
Ansel Elgort followed breakout performances in “The Fault in Our Stars” and the “Divergent” film series with a lead role in the 2017 crime drama “Baby Driver.” In 2020, he was embroiled in a sexual assault controversy while working on Steven Spielberg’s 2021 remake of “West Side Story.” Viewers can currently catch him in the HBO Max drama series “Tokyo Vice.”
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#23. Aurora
– Age: 26
– Domestic box office: $477.4 million
– Average per movie: $477.4 million
While better known as a singer-songwriter, this Norwegian talent did lend her voice to the computer-animated blockbuster “Frozen II.” She’s also contributed to the soundtracks for numerous films and TV shows, including the animated fantasy “Wolfwalkers.” She released her third studio album, “The Gods We Can Touch,” in January 2022.
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#22. Rachel Matthews
– Age: 29
– Domestic box office: $477.4 million
– Average per movie: $477.4 million
An early obsession with child star Shirley Temple sent actor Rachel Matthews down her own career path in film and TV. She played sorority leader Danielle Bouseman in the slasher comedy “Happy Death Day” and its 2019 sequel. The voice role of Honeymaren in Disney’s “Frozen II” represents her highest-grossing work to date.
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#21. Elsie Fisher
– Age: 19
– Domestic box office: $479.5 million
– Average per movie: $95.9 million
This California-born actor tackled her first credited role at age 6 in the supernatural drama series “Medium.” Steady work paved the way to her Golden Globe-nominated performance as troubled teen Kayla in Bo Burnham’s “Eighth Grade.” She recently played the recurring character Katie Harris in Season 3 of the HBO series “Barry.”
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#20. AnnaSophia Robb
– Age: 29
– Domestic box office: $481.6 million
– Average per movie: $32.1 million
This versatile actor was scouted by a Hollywood agent when she was 9 years old and starring in feature films by age 12. One of her most notable performances is as the one-armed surfer Bethany Hamilton in the biopic “Soul Surfer.” Before that, she played major roles in the blockbusters “Bridge to Terabithia” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.”
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#19. Georgie Henley
– Age: 27
– Domestic box office: $537.7 million
– Average per movie: $107.5 million
Georgie Henley shot to fame when she portrayed Lucy Pevensie in the Chronicles of Narnia franchise. Born in Ilkley, England, she acted in various stage performances as a child, leading to her landing Lucy’s role in 2005. Like her co-star Skandar Keynes, Henley put acting on pause to attend the University of Cambridge, where she studied English. She has since gone on to direct and recently played Margaret Tudor in the Starz limited series “The Spanish Princess.”
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#18. JD McCrary
– Age: 15
– Domestic box office: $543.6 million
– Average per movie: $543.6 million
At just 13, JD McCrary’s box office stats put him on equal footing with some of Hollywood’s biggest names, partly due to the success of 2019’s “The Lion King,” in which he was the voice of young Simba. McCrary also has a successful singing career, performing on “The Lion King” soundtrack and releasing his own singles. He currently stars on the Oprah Winfrey Network television series “The Paynes.”
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#17. Huck Milner
– Age: 15
– Domestic box office: $608.6 million
– Average per movie: $608.6 million
New York native Huck Milner started acting in community theater productions with his older siblings when he was 4, making his worldwide debut in “Incredibles 2” as the voice of Dash. Despite only appearing in one movie so far, the film’s average box office gross of $608.6 million puts him on the list of highest-grossing actors under 30. Milner continues to act in professional theater productions and does voice-over work.
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#16. Elle Fanning
– Age: 24
– Domestic box office: $619.5 million
– Average per movie: $22.1 million
The younger sister of actor Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning’s first big role was playing the younger version of Dakota’s character in the movie “I Am Sam.” She’s since gone on to carve out a very lucrative career of her own, with domestic box office stats exceeding $619 million. Fanning’s most recent films include the Netflix feature “All the Bright Places” and the forthcoming World War II drama “The Nightingale,” starring alongside her sister.
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#15. Dana Gaier
– Age: 25
– Domestic box office: $632.7 million
– Average per movie: $316.3 million
Dana Gaier, the voice of Edith in the “Despicable Me” movies, hails from New Jersey and got her start in the industry when she accompanied an older sibling to an audition. Apart from “Despicable Me,” Gaier has appeared in the indie film “The Ice Cream Truck” and on Netflix’s “On My Block.”
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#14. Hailee Steinfeld
– Age: 26
– Domestic box office: $718.4 million
– Average per movie: $42.3 million
Like many child actors, Hailee Steinfeld’s career began with more minor television roles, but it was her breakout role as Mattie in the 2010 remake of the movie “True Grit” that skyrocketed her to fame, earning her both Oscar and Golden Globe nominations. Steinfeld recently completed filming the Marvel series “Hawkeye,” depicting Kate Bishop, and starred in the Apple TV+ series “Dickinson.”
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#13. Ty Simpkins
– Age: 21
– Domestic box office: $729. million
– Average per movie: $81 million
Ty Simpkins has appeared in a multitude of television shows and feature films, including his big screen debut in “War of the Worlds,” all three of the “Insidious” movies, “Iron Man 3,” and “Jurassic World.” Simpkins has starred on the 2019 television series “Chimerica” and appeared in such movies as 2021’s “Where’s Rose” and 2022’s critically acclaimed “The Whale.”
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#12. Brianna Hildebrand
– Age: 26
– Domestic box office: $732.1 million
– Average per movie: $122 million
Having appeared in “Deadpool” and “Deadpool 2,” both high-grossing hits, Brianna Hildebrand’s domestic box office stats are more than $700 million. Her early career included roles in the web series “Annie Undocumented” and the 2015 feature film “Prism.” Hildebrand also starred as Verity in “The Exorcist,” a 2017 television series, and more recently, appeared on the TV show “Trinkets.”
Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for HBO // Getty Images
#11. Nick Robinson
– Age: 27
– Domestic box office: $763.7 million
– Average per movie: $63.6 million
Actor Nick Robinson made his acting debut on stage, starring in a production of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” production when he was 11. He soon graduated to the small and big screens, landing a role on the TV series “Melissa & Joey” and appearing in movies such as “The Kings of Summer,” “Jurassic World,” and “Love, Simon.” More recently, Robinson currently stars on the Netflix miniseries “Maid.”
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#10. Isabella Sermon
– Age: 16
– Domestic box office: $793.7 million
– Average per movie: $396.9 million
Fans of the Jurassic World film series will recognize this British actor as Maisie Lockwood, the adoptive daughter of Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) and Claire Dearing (Bryce Dallas Howard). Sermon also plays a younger version of geneticist Charlotte Lockwood in 2022’s “Jurassic World: Dominion.”
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#9. Chloe Grace Moretz
– Age: 25
– Domestic box office: $811.7 million
– Average per movie: $28 million
With a career spanning more than 17 years, Chloë Grace Moretz has starred in several top-grossing movies, including “The Equalizer” and “Kick-Ass,” for which she won an MTV Movie Award. Moretz also won a People’s Choice Award in 2012 for favorite movie star under 25. Her current projects include the movie “After Exile” and an as-yet-untitled sequel to 2019’s “Addams Family,” in which she is the voice of Wednesday Addams.
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#8. Angourie Rice
– Age: 22
– Domestic box office: $856.5 million
– Average per movie: $122.4 million
This Aussie talent won a Best Actor Award at the St. Kilda Film Festival by age 11 and appeared in her first feature two years later. She plays teen Betty Brant in the three most recent “Spider-Man” movies and the spinoff web series “The Daily Bugle.” Among her upcoming projects is a musical adaptation of the 2004 comedy “Mean Girls.”
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#7. Miranda Cosgrove
– Age: 29
– Domestic box office: $884.2 million
– Average per movie: $176.8 million
Miranda Cosgrove got her start by appearing in commercials for fast-food spots like Burger King, eventually winning her first major role in the 2003 movie “School of Rock.” She starred on the Nickelodeon series “Drake and Josh” before landing her own show, “iCarly,” and has since lent her voice to the character Margo in the Despicable Me movie franchise. In 2012, Guinness World Records named Cosgrove the highest-paid TV child actor by episode.
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#6. Tony Revolori
– Age: 26
– Domestic box office: $916.6 million
– Average per movie: $101.8 million
Born in California, Tony Revolori made his acting debut at age 2 in a baby food commercial. He’s racked up a whopping 45 IMDb credits in the time since, with at least four more projects on the way. His best-known roles include Flash Thompson in the recent “Spider-Man” film series and Zero in Wes Anderson’s “The Grand Budapest Hotel.”
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#5. Jorge Lendeborg Jr.
– Age: 26
– Domestic box office: $982.2 million
– Average per movie: $122.8 million
At only 26, Dominican actor Jorge Lendeborg Jr. has already appeared in several Hollywood blockbusters. His major credits include Memo in 2018’s “Bumblebee” and the role of high school student Jason Ionello in the current Spider-Man film franchise. He also starred in the 2018 romantic drama “Love, Simon” and 2019’s “Alita: Battle Angel.”
Frazer Harrison // Getty Images
#4. Dakota Fanning
– Age: 28
– Domestic box office: $1.77 billion
– Average per movie: $67.9 million
Despite her age, Dakota Fanning has a lengthy and well-established career. Her first major film role was in “I Am Sam,” where she played Sam’s daughter, Lucy. That role earned her several nominations and awards, including a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination at just 8 years old, making her the youngest nominee to date. Fanning is expected to star in the film “Nightingale” alongside her sister, Elle.
Steven Ferdman // Getty Images
#3. Zendaya
– Age: 26
– Domestic box office: $1.9 billion
– Average per movie: $190.5 million
Triple threat Zendaya isn’t just an actor; she’s an incredible singer and dancer. She got her start as a child model and backup dancer before making her way into acting with a role on the Disney Channel series “Shake It Up.” Her film credits include “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” which grossed $117 million in its first weekend; “The Greatest Showman”; and “Spider-Man: Far from Home.” Zendaya also plays the lead character Rue on the HBO series “Euphoria,” for which she won two Primetime Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actress, becoming the youngest actor to do so.
David M. Benett/Dave Benett/WireImage // Getty Images
#2. Letitia Wright
– Age: 29
– Domestic box office: $2.17 billion
– Average per movie: $180.7 million
Known for her role as Shuri in the 2018 megahit “Black Panther” and its 2022 sequel, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Letitia Wright started out with appearances on such television series as “Holby City,” “Top Boy,” and “Humans.” Her acting skills have earned her several award nominations and wins, including an Emmy nod for her appearance in Netflix’s “Black Mirror” and a BET Award nomination for her role in “Black Panther.” Wright’s other recent projects include the movies “Death on the Nile” and “The Silent Twins” and the Amazon series “Small Axe.”
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Disney // Getty Images
#1. Tom Holland
– Age: 26
– Domestic box office: $3.89 billion
– Average per movie: $204.9 million
British-born actor Tom Holland’s career started with a starring role in the West End production of “Billy Elliot the Musical” before he moved on to television and film. Holland shot to fame as Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films, starring in “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and “Spider-Man: Far from Home,” and appearing in “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Captain America: Civil War.” He is currently filming the latest and as-yet-untitled Spider-Man sequel.
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