Colin Jost Reacts to Wife Scarlett Johansson Losing Her Top-Grossing Status in a Viral SNL Skit

Scarlett Johansson’s reign as Hollywood’s highest-grossing actress officially came to an end recently, and Saturday Night Live made sure to have some fun with the news. During the January 17 broadcast, Colin Jost, her husband and Weekend Update anchor, became the target of a hilarious joke about the shift in box office rankings.

The segment started with a simple news update. “Zoe Saldaña—who stars in the new Avatar movie—has surpassed Scarlett Johansson to become the highest-grossing actress of all time,” Jost read from his cue cards. A professional bar graph appeared on the screen showing Johansson trailing Saldaña. Trying to help his wife, Jost jokingly suggested adding his own movies to her total.

“Okay, well let’s see what happens if you include the box office from Scarlett’s husband’s movies,” he said, smirking. Instead of helping, the graph dropped from $15.4 billion to $15.1 billion, implying that Jost’s films actually brought her total down. Jost laughed at the absurdity and exclaimed, “It went down?!” leaving the studio audience in stitches.

The joke reflects real-world data. Zoe Saldaña officially overtook Johansson thanks to the success of Avatar: Fire and Ash, which has already grossed $1.23 billion globally as of January 12. The hit film pushed Saldaña’s total career box office to $16.8 billion, including franchises like Star Trek, Avengers: Endgame, and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. Johansson had previously held the top spot with about $16.4 billion in lifetime earnings.

This isn’t the first time Jost has poked fun at his own career in relation to his superstar wife. The couple often jokes about their high-profile lives. In July 2025, Jost even commented on a passionate on-screen kiss between Johansson and Jonathan Bailey in Jurassic World Rebirth, telling Entertainment Tonight that he takes these Hollywood moments in stride.

Jurassic World Rebirth was a major blockbuster and added to Johansson’s box office total. She starred as Zora Bennett, a covert operations expert, alongside Mahershala Ali and Rupert Friend, while Jonathan Bailey drew attention for his breakout role. On the other side, Saldaña has been promoting Avatar: Fire and Ash, directed by James Cameron. The movie introduces a new tribe on Pandora and features Sam Worthington and Sigourney Weaver reprising their roles.

Beyond big blockbusters, Johansson continues to expand her career through smaller projects and her own production company. She has earned two Academy Award nominations for Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit, proving her versatility in both action films and character-driven dramas.

Colin Jost remains a key figure on Saturday Night Live, serving as head writer and co-anchoring Weekend Update with Michael Che. He also wrote the memoir A Very Punchable Face, which became a New York Times bestseller. Despite the self-deprecating jokes about his box office track record, Jost showed once again that he can laugh at himself while keeping audiences entertained.

“It went down?!” he laughed, capturing the moment perfectly. Fans on social media are still talking about his hilarious reaction, proving that even a small roast on live TV can steal the show.

The segment aired on Saturday Night Live and was reported by multiple entertainment outlets, highlighting the playful way the show handles Hollywood news. Fans can debate whether Jost’s joke was the highlight of the episode, but one thing is clear: the couple’s sense of humor remains unmatched.

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