About Boardroom

Boardroom is a sports, media and entertainment brand co-founded by Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman and focused on the intersection of sports and entertainment. Boardroom’s flagship media arm features premium video/audio, editorial, daily and weekly newsletters, showcasing how athletes, executives, musicians and creators are moving the business world forward. Boardroom’s ecosystem encompasses B2B events and experiences (such as its renowned NBA and WNBA All-Star events) as well as ticketed conferences such as Game Plan in partnership with CNBC. Our advisory arm serves to consult and connect athletes, brands and executives with our broader network and initiatives.

Recent film and TV projects also under the Boardroom umbrella include the Academy Award-winning Two Distant Strangers (Netflix), the critically acclaimed scripted series SWAGGER (Apple TV+) and Emmy-nominated documentary NYC Point Gods (Showtime).

Boardroom’s sister company, Boardroom Sports Holdings, features investments in emerging sports teams and leagues, including the Major League Pickleball team, the Brooklyn Aces, NWSL champions Gotham FC, and MLS’ Philadelphia Union.

All Rights Reserved. 2025.

How Scarlett Johansson Became the Highest-Grossing Lead Actor of All Time

Johansson‘s ability to be adaptable throughout her career — from her iconic role in the MCU to leading the latest Jurassic World movie — has her sitting atop Hollywood.

Scarlett Johansson has long been a box office draw, but with the explosive success of Jurassic World: Rebirth, she’s officially in a league of her own. The film’s $318 million global debut pushed her career total to a staggering $14.8 billion at the box office, making her the highest-grossing lead actor in movie history. It’s a milestone that cements her status not just as a bankable star, but as a defining figure of 21st-century cinema.

While much of Johansson’s success stems from her iconic role as Natasha Romanoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s her range and adaptability that have kept her career on an upward trajectory. Across eight MCU films, including Avengers: Endgame, Infinity War, and Black Widow, Johansson’s performances brought both emotional gravity and action hero prowess to the screen. Her contributions helped Marvel dominate global box offices for over a decade, with Endgame alone pulling in $2.7 billion.

But her success isn’t limited to spandex and superpowers. Johansson has quietly built an impressive portfolio across multiple genres. She began her career as a child actor in the mid-1990s, making her film debut in North (1994) at just 9 years old. Her breakthrough came a few years later with The Horse Whisperer (1998), where she impressed audiences and critics alike with a maturity beyond her years. Roles in indie favorites like Ghost World (2001) and her star-making turn in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation (2003) established Johansson as a serious dramatic talent — and laid the groundwork for her eventual leap into global stardom. Johansson earned critical acclaim early in her career for showcasing her versatility beyond blockbuster fare.

Stay Ahead of the Game, Get Our Newsletters

Subscribe for the biggest stories in the business of sports and entertainment, daily.

Now, she’s adding another major franchise to her resume with Jurassic World: Rebirth. Taking over leading duties from Chris Pratt, Johansson’s portrayal of Dr. Zora Bennett marks the first time a woman has headlined a film in the Jurassic universe. And it’s working. Rebirth is tracking to be one of the highest-grossing entries in the franchise.

Her rise to the top wasn’t a fluke — it’s the result of long-term franchise investments and undeniable talent. With her Jurassic era just beginning, Johansson’s reign at the box office shows no signs of slowing down.

Read More:

Michelai Graham

Michelai Graham is a tech reporter and digital creator who leads tech coverage at Boardroom, where she reports on Big Tech, AI, internet culture, the creator economy, and innovations shaping sports, entertainment, business, and culture. She writes and curates Tech Talk, Boardroom’s weekly newsletter on industry trends. A dynamic storyteller and on-camera talent, Michelai has covered major events like the Super Bowl, Formula 1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, and NBA All-Star. Her work has appeared in AfroTech, HubSpot, Lifewire, The Plug, Technical.ly DC, and CyberScoop. Outside of work, she produces the true crime podcast The Point of No Return.

About The Author
Michelai Graham
Michelai Graham
Michelai Graham is a tech reporter and digital creator who leads tech coverage at Boardroom, where she reports on Big Tech, AI, internet culture, the creator economy, and innovations shaping sports, entertainment, business, and culture. She writes and curates Tech Talk, Boardroom’s weekly newsletter on industry trends. A dynamic storyteller and on-camera talent, Michelai has covered major events like the Super Bowl, Formula 1’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, and NBA All-Star. Her work has appeared in AfroTech, HubSpot, Lifewire, The Plug, Technical.ly DC, and CyberScoop. Outside of work, she produces the true crime podcast The Point of No Return.