Entertainment

15 TV shows we're looking forward to watching this summer

Published

8 months ago

May 15, 2025

15 TV shows we're looking forward to watching this summer

If there’s one thing that can be said about the first half of this year, it’s that we had great television. We’re talking memorable, going-down-in history TV. Whether it was the return of “Severance” and “The White Lotus,” or the arrival of new series like “The Pitt” and “Dying for Sex,” it felt like appointment television had returned, and there was something for everyone — and everyone seemed to be watching.

Fortunately, there’s a lot of great television to look forward to this summer as well. In the coming months, we’ll see returning favorites, documentaries about old favorites — prehistoric in one case, new action-packed series and shows that will simply make you laugh. And in these times, we could all use some laughter and a good distraction. So get ready to be transported to old worlds, new worlds and present ones — we’re looking forward to these escapes.

‘Pee-wee as Himself’

(HBO, May 23)

Paul Reubens appears in “Pee-wee as Himself,” a two-part documentary coming to HBO that premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.

(Dennis Keeley / HBO)

“It turns out that you’re not really supposed to direct your own documentary; you’re not supposed to control your own documentary,” says Paul Reubens, who would have liked to. Nevertheless, he sat for 40 hours of interviews for this properly admiring, though not sanitized, two-part posthumous documentary. Matters of ambition, artistry and anonymity are discussed, along with certain public events and misconceptions, but above all the film reminds you what a gift Pee-wee was to the culture, and, I am ready to say, the mental health of the nation. “Death is so final,” Reubens tells director Matt Wolf, who did not know that the actor had cancer, “that to be able to get your message in at the last minute, or at some point, is incredible.” — Robert Lloyd

‘And Just Like That …’

Season 3 (Max, May 29)

Two women stand in a kitchen in front of a sink, next to a blue fridge.

If you’re one of the many people who can’t help but wonder what a season of “And Just Like That …” will be like without Che Diaz (Sara Ramirez), this is your summer. The revival may lack the charm, energy and cultural impact of “Sex and the City,” but, like Carrie chasing Big, many of us keep coming back for more of its deranged and addictive shenanigans. The third season promises something new and unexpected as we check in with the women during a New York City summer. After years of writing about her sex life and of those in her orbit, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) is branching out to pursue fiction. She’s also settling into her three-floor Gramercy Park home, which includes a rat problem and a flirty next-door neighbor, while trying to figure out her complicated relationship with Aidan (John Corbett). Meanwhile, Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) is hitting the dating scene after her split with Che, and Charlotte (Kristin Davis) is contending with her daughter Lily’s (Cathy Ang) new romance. I’m ready and seated like a supportive friend at a vent sesh trying not to judge questionable decisions. — Yvonne Villarreal

‘Walking With Dinosaurs’

(PBS, June 16)

Three people in long-sleeve shirts digging and examining fossilized remains in the earth at a dig site.

I love dinosaurs. It’s a childhood affinity that started with “The Land Before Time” (1988), was solidified with “Jurassic Park” (1993) and had not at all waned by the time the original “Walking With Dinosaurs” series hit U.S. TVs in 2000. The original show gave the prehistoric reptiles the nature documentary treatment, offering glimpses of a world that was ruled by dinosaurs millions of years ago through the magic of CGI and animatronics. I still remember being wowed by a stegosaurus trying to fend off an allosaurus and being sad about a T. rex that died trying to protect her babies. All that is to say, I’m looking forward to more narrated adventures of how dinosaurs lived and died in this new reimagining with updated science and CG animation. Among the dinosaurs that have been teased to get a spotlight are triceratops, spinosaurus, Utahraptors, Albertosaurus, gorgosaurus and a Lusotitan. — Tracy Brown

‘Outrageous’

(Britbox, June 18)

Two couples in formal attire stand holding champagne glasses in a ballroom.

The mixed-up antics of fictional British aristocrats are nothing compared with the real-life adventures and misadventures of England’s famous Mitford sisters — some celebrated, some notorious, some just getting on with things, relatively speaking — docu-dramatized in this six-part series, set between the world wars. Meet novelist Nancy (Bessie Carter, from “Bridgerton”); country girl Pamela (Isobel Jesper Jones); fascists Diana (Joanna Vanderham) and Unity (Shannon Watson), whose middle name was Valkyrie; progressive journalist Jessica (Zoe Brough) and Deborah (Orla Hill), a duchess. Plus clothes! Furniture! Cars! — R.L.

‘The Gilded Age’

Season 3 (HBO, June 22)

Two women in period dress stand in a parlor.

As our modern times continue to become ever so unprecedented, you can find me frothing at the mouth for a star-studded period piece with low stakes and high fashion. Please, whisk me away to the drawing rooms and dining halls of 1880s Manhattan to hang out with railroad tycoons, socially ambitious women and a new generation of rule breakers, especially when they’re played by Morgan Spector, Carrie Coon, Christine Baranski, Cynthia Nixon, Nathan Lane, Audra McDonald and Donna Murphy. And of course, the show — from “Downton Abbey” creator Julian Fellowes — continues its tradition of stacking its cast with brilliant stage actors, this time adding Phylicia Rashad, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Victoria Clark, Bill Camp and Leslie Uggams, to name just a few. My only complaint: Like the second season, the third is only eight episodes. I guess I’ll have to cope by simply restarting the entire series from the very beginning — again. — Ashley Lee

‘Ironheart’

(Disney+, June 24)

A girl with two braids in a hoodie stands looking downward. A big metal suit stands behind her.

It’s been nearly five years since the “Ironheart” series was originally announced and I have been patiently waiting for Riri Williams to get her moment in the MCU spotlight since. In the comics, Riri is an engineering genius known for making her own Iron Man-inspired high tech suit of armor. Audiences got a glimpse of Riri (Dominique Thorne) in action in the 2022 film “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” where she is introduced as the whiz kid MIT student that gets pulled into the events of the film for inventing a vibranium detector and later helps build armored suits for the Wakandans. Her upcoming solo series is set after the events of “Wakanda Forever” and will dive more into Riri’s backstory as she returns to Chicago, her hometown. Within Riri’s orbit is Parker Robbins (Anthony Ramos), described as a mysterious yet charming misfit who possesses a magical hood that lets him tap into the dark arts. We’ll just have to wait to see whether science or magic comes out on top. — T.B.

‘The Bear’

Season 4 (FX on Hulu, June 25)

A woman in a white chef's coat and a red bandana on her head stands next to a man sitting on a prep table.

Whether the third season of “The Bear” lost some of its mojo as one of TV’s most compelling series may be up for debate, but it hasn’t diminished our anticipation to catch up with Carmy and company in Season 4. Last season ended with several challenges: The new fine-dining restaurant receives a harsh review, Sydney (Ayo Edebiri) considers leaving the restaurant, and the relationship between Carmy (Jeremy Allen White) and Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) is on the outs. Those events seem to be setting up a season that can delve into the aftermath of how they’ll confront the good and the bad of restaurant life. And after making her directorial debut with last season’s stand-out episode “Napkins,” Edebiri has co-written an episode with co-star Lionel Boyce (Marcus) for Season 4. It’s a promising sign that we’ll be well-fed this summer. — Y.V.

‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’

Season 17 (FXX, July 9)

A group of people standing around a bar looking a piece of machinery.

The gang from Paddy’s Pub is back for another season and this one is special for a couple of reasons: First, it’s the 20th anniversary of the series premiere — it’s the longest-running live-action comedy series — and second, we have another crossover episode on the horizon. Earlier this year, we got to see Sweet Dee (Kaitlin Olson), Dennis (Glenn Howerton), Charlie (Charlie Day), Mac (Rob McElhenney) and Frank (Danny DeVito) visit ABC’s “Abbott Elementary,” where they put in some volunteer hours, thanks to a court order. Now, the “Abbott Elementary” bunch will be featured in “Sunny,” where we’ll get to see things from the gang’s point of view. But that’s not all. This season’s theme is “The Gang Embraces the Corporate Era,” a fitting one considering the times we’re living in, where money rules everything. I, for one, welcome them as corporate overlords. — Maira Garcia

‘Too Much’

(Netflix, July 10)

A woman in a pink dress sitting on a bed holding a dog that is also in a pink dress.

It’s been 13 years since the premiere of Lena Dunham’s HBO series “Girls,” an era-defining show that followed a group of messy 20-something New Yorkers. And in her latest project for Netflix, Dunham is focused on the next decade of life with “Too Much.” Co-created with her husband Luis Felber, this romantic comedy series aims to show that your 30s can be just as messy but also filled with joy. It stars Megan Stalter as Jessica, a workaholic who leaves New York for London after her life unravels when her boyfriend breaks up with her, and Will Sharpe as Felix, a Londoner who becomes Jessica’s love interest. Stalter has captivated viewers with her turn as Kayla in “Hacks,” the nepo baby assistant turned partner, and this series is likely to keep her star rising. — M.G.

‘Dexter: Resurrection’

(Paramount+ with Showtime, July 11)

A man in a jacket leans a hand against a maroon beam with a sign that reads "York Street" in a subway station.

You just can’t keep a beloved serial killer down. It certainly seemed that Dexter Morgan, the blood-splatter analyst and serial killer who headlined Showtime’s hugely popular “Dexter,” had finally run out of luck after being shot to death by his son Harrison in the 2022 reboot “Dexter: New Blood.” Michael C. Hall, who has portrayed the crafty killer with a code since 2006, clearly indicated in a Los Angeles Times interview that Dexter had met his maker, acknowledging that many fans would mourn his demise: “As upsetting as it might be, I hope audiences will appreciate the resonance of Dexter dying … at the hands of his son.” But it turns out that the end was not the end after all for Dexter, who has somehow survived the shooting by Harrison Morgan (Jack Alcott) and is returning for “Dexter: Resurrection,” a continuation of the “New Blood” sequel. The series finds Dexter awakening from a coma and discovering that Harrison has vanished. The cast includes Uma Thurman and David Zayas, reviving his portrayal of Det. Angel Batista from the original series. Also returning from “Dexter” is James Remar, who played Morgan’s father Harry Morgan. — Greg Braxton

‘Chief of War’

(Apple TV+, Aug. 1)

A group of men crouching in the sand on the beach with one man in a red headdress standing above them.

Films or series about Native Hawaiians and their history have been few and far between, but this new historical drama aims to rectify that. The nine-episode miniseries centers on the story of Ka‘iana, a warrior who tries to unify the Hawaiian islands before colonization in the late 18th century. Jason Momoa leads the largely Polynesian ensemble cast that includes Luciane Buchanan (“The Night Agent”) and Temuera Morrison (“The Mandalorian”). In addition to starring, Momoa co-wrote the series with Thomas Pa’a Sibbett (“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom”) and executive produces. Undoubtedly, there will be comparisons to “Shogun” because of its historical roots and battle sequences, and that’s not a bad thing, given its success. It’s also another step for on-screen representation and more inclusive epics. — M.G.

‘Wednesday’

Season 2, Part 1 (Netflix, Aug. 6)

Five people in dark clothing stand in front of a black vehicle with several suitcases tied to the top.

It’s been three years, but our favorite sleuthing goth teenager Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) is finally back, as is the rest of her clan. In this season — which is split in two parts, the second arriving Sept. 3 — Pugsley (Isaac Ordonez), Wednesday’s little brother, is joining Nevermore Academy, and their parents, Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Gomez (Luis Guzmán), will also have a presence on campus. While that development is enough to make any teenager want to die — metaphorically! — at least Wednesday will have Thing to keep her company, along with her sunny, polar opposite roommate Enid (Emma Myers) — they did embrace in the Season 1 finale, after all. Also returning is Fred Armisen as Uncle Fester and killer hyde Tyler, played by Hunter Doohan. We’ll meet some new faces too: Grandmama Hester Frump, played by “Absolutely Fabulous” star Joanna Lumley, and Steve Buscemi as Nevermore’s new principal Barry Dort. That’s plenty to keep me intrigued, and if the soundtrack is as good as last time — who can forget the dance scene with “Goo Goo Muck” — I can die happy. — M.G.

‘Outlander: Blood of My Blood’

(Starz, Aug. 8)

A man and a woman in period dress hold hands as they stand in a field.

It’s hard to believe that “Outlander,” the time-traveling series that’s practically a Visit Scotland ad, premiered in 2014. In a world where many fine shows are lucky to make it to a fourth season, that is time travel indeed. Now, in anticipation of the series’ eighth and final season, which will premiere sometime this year or next, “Blood of My Blood” offers a prequel. Following the love stories of previous generations, namely the parents of “Outlander” mains, 20th-century born Claire (Caitriona Balfour) and 18th-century born Jamie (Sam Heughan), “Blood of My Blood” toggles between World War I and the zenith of the Highland culture, making it the ultimate period drama. “Outlander” fans will get to meet younger versions of the show’s supporting characters and, one hopes, gain some insight into how Claire came to be a time-traveler. More important, we all get to go back to Scotland. — Mary McNamara

‘Alien: Earth’

(FX on Hulu, Aug. 12)

A woman with red braids and a headset stands in front of a rockslide. Two men stand behind her.

More than four decades after it first crept onto movie screens, “Alien” remains one of the scariest films ever made, with scenes that continue to horrify and shock even after repeated viewings. With the exception of James Cameron’s “Aliens,” none of the numerous sequels have come close to matching the power of Ridley Scott’s original, though many fans admired 2024’s “Alien: Romulus.” The vicious extraterrestrial is now set to wreck havoc in “Alien: Earth,” which will premiere this summer. In the new series, a young woman (Sydney Chandler) and a group of tactical soldiers discover a mysterious vessel that crash-lands on Earth. The drama is created, written and directed by Noah Hawley, who has expanded the story of the 1996 film “Fargo,” transforming it into a popular and inventive anthology series. The cast includes Timothy Olyphant (“Justified”). — G.B.

‘Fixed’

(Netflix, Aug. 13)

An animated grey dog wearing a tag that reads Bull is embraced by the tail of an orange dog.

In this “Lady and the Tramp” for our less innocent times, the great Genndy Tartakovsky (“Dexter’s Laboratory,” “Samurai Jack,” “Primal”) animates an R-rated comedy, written with Jon Vitti (“The Simpsons”), about a dog who learns he’ll be neutered the next morning and sets off to spend the day on an adventure. This streaming film features glorious 2D animation, the best of all cartoon formats, with nods to Tex Avery and Chuck Jones. Adam Devine stars as the voice behind the targeted pup with Kathryn Hahn, Idris Elba, Bobby Moynihan, Fred Armisen, Michelle Buteau and Beck Bennett filling out the back. — R.L.

Entertainment

Timothy Busfield faces new sex abuse accusation as he appears in court

Published

38 minutes ago

January 15, 2026

Press Room

Timothy Busfield faces new sex abuse accusation as he appears in court

Timothy Busfield made a first appearance in New Mexico court Wednesday as prosecutors detailed a new sexual abuse accusation against the Emmy-winning actor.

Busfield, 68, has been charged with two felony counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor and a single count of child abuse for allegedly inappropriately touching two child actors while he worked as a director and executive producer on the Fox drama “The Cleaning Lady,” filmed in Albuquerque. He was held without bond pending a hearing on a motion for pretrial detention.

In that motion, prosecutors argued Busfield should be jailed pending trial due to what they called “a sustained pattern of predatory conduct” that they said dated to at least 1994. That year, a 17-year-old extra on the film “Little Big League” accused Busfield of sexually assaulting her in a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court that was later settled privately, the motion states.

Most recently, a man named Colin Swift reported to law enforcement on Tuesday that, years ago, Busfield sexually abused Swift’s then-16-year-old daughter during an audition at B Street Theatre in Sacramento, the motion states. Swift alleged that Busfield begged the family to not report the abuse to law enforcement if he received therapy, and they initially agreed, the filing states.

No charges have been filed against Busfield in connection with that incident.

Busfield founded B Street Theatre as a touring company called Theatre for Children Inc. in 1986, according to its website. Although he is listed as an emeritus board member, he has not participated in the organization since 2001, and the incident recently reported to police is alleged to have taken place there about 25 years ago, according to a statement from B Street Theatre. The theater has retained legal counsel to conduct an internal investigation, the statement said.

Prosecutors allege Busfield’s conduct “reflects a calculated pattern of grooming, lack of boundaries, and exploitation of professional authority to gain access to minors,” according to the motion for pretrial detention. Witnesses have said they fear retaliation and career harm for speaking out against him, demonstrating “how individuals in positions of power are able to silence victims and witnesses, allowing abuse to persist unchecked,” they wrote.

A representative for Busfield could not be reached Wednesday. His attorney Stanton “Larry” Stein previously said in a statement that the actor is innocent and “determined to clear his name.” He also referenced an affidavit in which Busfield suggested to investigators that the child actors’ mother might have sought “revenge” on the director for “not bringing her kids back for the final season.”

The actor, known for his work on television series “The West Wing” and “Thirtysomething,” turned himself in Tuesday, which prosecutors allege was five days after he knew a judge had issued a warrant for his arrest. During that time, Busfield traveled from New York to New Mexico to avoid the extradition process and surrender at a convenient time, the motion alleges.

He was booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center in Albuquerque, where he remained Wednesday.

Busfield is accused of inappropriately touching the two child actors, who are brothers, on the set of “The Cleaning Lady,” according to an affidavit. Their mother reported the abuse took place from November 2022 to spring 2024, according to the complaint. Police launched an investigation in November 2024 after being notified of the alleged abuse by a doctor at the University of New Mexico Hospital.

According to prosecutors, “Cleaning Lady” producer Warner Bros. conducted an investigation into Busfield’s behavior in February 2025 after the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists hotline fielded an anonymous complaint that the director entered a trailer on the set and kissed a 6-year-old boy on the face while he was getting a haircut. Another caller to the hotline claimed that, in September 2024, Busfield asked a parent to wait outside and took a minor — one of the alleged victims in the New Mexico case — behind closed doors for an audition at the Cinelease Studios office in Albuquerque, according to the motion.

A third-party investigator retained by Warner Bros., however, found no evidence that Busfield had been alone with the brothers on set or engaged in other inappropriate conduct, according to a statement from the investigator released by Stein, Busfield’s attorney. But the investigator failed to speak with one of the victims and his parents, as well as key witnesses, prosecutors allege in the motion.

Warner Bros. Television said in a statement that it takes all misconduct allegations seriously and has cooperated with law enforcement by expediting the sharing of the report by its third-party investigator, which it could have withheld as privileged. The studio has a clear non-retaliation policy to ensure employees feel comfortable reporting concerns, the statement said. “Our top priority is the health and safety of our cast and crew across all productions,” it said.

Busfield, who is married to actor Melissa Gilbert, was also accused of battery in March 2012 by a 28-year-old woman who said he sexually assaulted her in a Los Angeles movie theater, but prosecutors declined to file charges due to “slim evidence,” according to the motion for pretrial detention.

The hearing on the motion, during which a judge will decide whether Busfield remains in jail, will be scheduled in 2nd Judicial District Court in Albuquerque within the next five business days, said Camille Cordova, a public information officer for the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Court.

Before he surrendered, Busfield recorded a video at his attorney’s office in which he denied the allegations. “I’m gonna confront these lies,” he said in the video published by TMZ, “they’re horrible.”

Prosecutors called the move “troubling” and said it demonstrated “a willingness to prioritize personal narrative control and public relations” over complying with court processes.

Times staff writer Alexandra Del Rosario contributed to this report.

Movie Reviews

Movie Review: Jodie Foster shines as a psychoanalyst on the edge in ‘A Private Life’

Published

11 hours ago

January 14, 2026

Press Room

Movie Review: Jodie Foster shines as a psychoanalyst on the edge in ‘A Private Life’

Jodie Foster plays a self-assured psychoanalyst whose composure unravels after a patient unexpectedly dies in the genre-bending French film “A Private Life.”

Rebecca Zlotowski’s latest, in theaters Friday, is part noir, part comedy of remarriage, and part Freudian fever dream about past lives.

This is a film that does not abide by rules or play into any easy expectations about what it should be, resulting in big swings, tonal shifts and even a lurking Holocaust through-line. Also, oddly enough considering such grave themes and subjects, it’s all done with a relatively light touch set, in part, by the cheeky needle drop at its opening: the Talking Heads song “Psycho Killer.” Some parts work better than others, but you can’t help but admire the go-for-broke originality and unabashed femininity of it all. And anchoring it all is Foster, using the full force of her star power and impeccable French to make “A Private Life,” unwieldy and complex as it is, go down as easy as a glass of gamay.

Foster’s character, Dr. Lilian Steiner, is an American expat living and working in France. She’s an accomplished, sophisticated woman who believes she has a grasp on people and the world around her, recording and cataloging all her private sessions with clients on meticulously organized CDs. This act in and of itself is a little odd — her son wonders why she doesn’t just use a more modern method, for instance. But it also kind of gets to the heart of why, perhaps, despite her evident intelligence, there’s a cold disconnect between analyst and subject. Is she even listening to them?

Lilian starts to wonder this herself after she receives a call that her client Paula ( Virginie Efira ) has died by suicide. Paula was not someone she believed was capable of this. Instead of looking inward, she goes back to the tapes to begin an amateur investigation to find some other explanation: It must be murder, she concludes. Suspects include Paula’s daughter Valérie (Luàna Bajrami) and husband Simon (Mathieu Amalric).

She also enlists a sidekick in her sleuthing, her ex-husband Gabriel (a delightful Daniel Auteuil ) who is more than happy to go along for the ride, to listen to her conspiracy theories over several bottles of wine, to be a decoy distraction so that she can snoop through Simon’s house, and, ultimately, to just be there for her, no matter how unhinged she’s becoming. You can just see the love and admiration in his attentiveness. He’s not off put by the crazy; it’s just part of what makes her, well, her. Their rekindled relationship, so effortlessly lived in, so mature, so fun, is by far the highlight of “A Private Life.”

It’s a shame that their romance is basically a side show to the more convoluted rest, which involves a hypnotist and a revelation of a past life in which Lilian and Paula were members of the same WWII-era orchestra and lovers torn apart by jealous exes and Nazis. One of those Nazis is Lilian’s son (Vincent Lacoste), which she awkwardly, drunkenly tells him at his birthday dinner to try to explain why they’ve never been that close. She’s also completely disinterested in her grandchild, which might be one “let’s unpack that” too many in this film. In other words, there’s a lot going on in “A Private Life,” which Zlotowski co-wrote with Anne Berest.

This image released by Sony Pictures Classics shows Jodie Foster, left, and Virginie Efira in a scene from “A Private Life.” Credit: AP/Jérôme Prébois

One thing there’s not enough of is Efira. She gets some moments in flashback, but most of them teeter on the “dead wife montage” cliche. It’s not that Zlotowski wasn’t aware of what she had in Efira (case in point, their poignant, tender work together in “Other People’s Children”), but perhaps she was counting on our familiarity to fill in the gaps.

“A Private Life” is ultimately Foster’s show anyway and she seems to relish the tricky assignment. The tone around her might be on the lighter side, but for Lilian, the stakes are grave with the very essence of her self-worth and life’s work on the line. It’s a fascinating portrait of a woman essentially forced to rethink and revise all of the rules she’d lived by, the facts that she made sense of the world with and submit herself to the idea that some things might just be unknowable — even for a know-it-all psychoanalyst.

“A Private Life,” a Sony Pictures Classics release in theaters Friday, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “language, graphic nudity, brief violence, some sexual content.” Running time: 105 minutes. Three stars out of four.

Entertainment

Zoe Saldaña becomes the highest-grossing actor of all time

Published

13 hours ago

January 14, 2026

Press Room

Zoe Saldaña becomes the highest-grossing actor of all time

After another impressively profitable weekend in theaters, James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash” helped crown its star Zoe Saldaña the queen of the box office.

The third “Avatar” movie boasted $21.3 million in North American sales last week, bringing it to a global total of $1.23 billion. With those impressive stats, Saldaña officially surpassed Scarlett Johansson as the highest-grossing actor of all time.

The Oscar winner has grossed more than $15.47 billion at the international box office, according to box office tracking website the Numbers. Johansson only recently gained the title after surpassing her “Avengers” co-star Samuel L. Jackson with the release of last summer’s “Jurassic World Rebirth.”

What helped buoy Saldaña to the top is the fact that the 47-year-old actor stars in the three highest-grossing films of all time: 2009’s “Avatar” ($2.9 billion), 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame” ($2.8 billion) and 2022’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” ($2.3 billion).

Saldaña is also the only actor to appear in four movies that brought in over $2 billion worldwide. (2018’s “Avengers: Infinity War” grossed $2.05 billion.)

Last year proved that Saldaña’s talent exceeded the realm of popcorn movies when she nabbed her first Academy Award for her supporting role in the controversial musical “Emilia Pérez.” Her win marked the first time an actor with Dominican roots had won an Oscar.

“I am a proud child of immigrant parents, with dreams and dignity and hardworking hands,” she said through tears while accepting the award for supporting actress. “And I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award, and I know I will not be the last.”

Saldaña cemented her Oscar win while side-stepping criticisms of the film — namely regarding its portrayals of Mexicans and transgender people — as well as the scandal that surrounded “Emilia Pérez” co-star Karla Sofía Gascón, when her offensive tweets with anti-Muslim, anti-diversity and racist language resurfaced.