Colin Jost Pokes Fun At Wife Scarlett Johansson After Box Office Defeat

The popular ‘Saturday Night Live’ segment Weekend Update often features co-anchor Colin Jost making self-deprecating humor, but his latest broadcast took aim at his own marriage in a hilarious fashion. During the episode that aired on January 17, Jost addressed the recent entertainment news that his wife, Scarlett Johansson, had lost her title as the highest-grossing actress of all time. This shift in the rankings occurred after Zoe Saldaña’s films saw a massive surge in global earnings, pushing her past Johansson on the all-time list. Jost used the opportunity to deliver a perfectly timed punchline that highlighted the disparity between his film career and that of his superstar spouse.

The segment began with Jost explaining the new box office statistics to the audience while a graphic appeared on the screen behind him. He noted that Saldaña, who stars in the blockbuster ‘Avatar’ franchise, had officially surpassed Johansson’s impressive career total. The chart displayed the staggering financial figures, showing Johansson with over sixteen billion dollars in cumulative box office revenue. Jost then proposed a solution to help his wife regain the top spot by combining their professional statistics. He confidently suggested that the producers should add the box office earnings from his own movies to her total to see if that would make a difference.

As the audience watched, the graphic on the screen updated to include Jost’s contributions, but the result was not what he feigned to expect. Instead of the total rising, the number on the chart humorously plummeted from over fifteen billion dollars down to a lower figure. The studio audience erupted in laughter as Jost looked at the camera with mock disbelief and exclaimed his shock that the number actually went down. This visual gag played on the joke that his participation in films might detract from rather than add to a movie’s financial success. It was a classic moment of the comedian making himself the butt of the joke while acknowledging his wife’s massive success.

The rise of Zoe Saldaña to the top spot is largely attributed to her roles in some of the most profitable film franchises in history. Her recent appearance in ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’ helped propel her cumulative earnings to new heights, overtaking the record Johansson held for years. Saldaña has been a key part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Gamora, as well as starring in the ‘Star Trek’ reboot series and James Cameron’s ‘Avatar’ films. These projects have consistently broken records at the global box office, allowing her to secure the number one position among actresses.

Scarlett Johansson previously held the record thanks to her iconic portrayal of Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, across numerous Marvel films. Her filmography includes massive hits like ‘Avengers: Endgame’ and ‘The Avengers’, which served as the foundation for her box office dominance. While she may have slipped to second place, her career earnings remain astronomical compared to almost any other performer in Hollywood. The friendly rivalry between the stars is often a subject of lighthearted discussion, but Jost’s comedic take offered a fresh perspective on the milestone.

This is not the first time Colin Jost has used his platform on ‘Saturday Night Live’ to joke about the financial dynamics of his high-profile marriage. He often leans into the persona of a husband who is less famous and wealthy than his award-winning wife. These segments tend to be fan favorites because they offer a glimpse into their relationship through the lens of comedy. Fans of the show immediately took to social media to react to the self-burn, praising Jost for his willingness to laugh at his own expense.

We would love to hear if you think Colin Jost’s movies should count toward the family total or if Scarlett stands better on her own in the comments.