From humble beginnings as a child actor to becoming an Oscar-winning leading lady, Brie Larson's journey is a testament to her talent and dedication to acting. Larson first caught the public's eye when she made her on-screen debut at just nine years old, setting the stage for what would become a very successful career.
Although she held many television and film roles in her youth, Larson's breakthrough came from indie films like Short Term 12 and Room, for which she earned the Academy Award for Best Actress. Larson's ability to convey profound emotions with unparalleled authenticity quickly established her as a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood.
As her star continued to rise, Brie Larson transitioned seamlessly between genres, effortlessly tackling diverse roles in blockbuster hits like Captain Marvel and thought-provoking dramas like The Glass Castle. Her versatility not only resonated with audiences but also translated into substantial box office success, solidifying her position as one of Hollywood's most sought-after talents. Brie Larson's movies are proof of her success, with several of them bringing in more than $100 million worldwide in the box office, according to The Numbers.
7 Brie Larson - Avengers: End Game - $2.78 Billion - Lead Role
Brie Larson first joined Marvel as Captain Marvel in 2019's Captain Marvel film, but her appearance alongside the Avengers in Avengers: Endgame helped propel her further into superhero fame. Larson's Captain Marvel joined the quest to reverse Thanos' big snap, and her chemistry with the rest of the cast was undeniable.
But many may not know that Captain Marvel's big fight against Thanos was added last minute. "When Captain Marvel arrives, that was in the script from day one, the way she comes through the ship," explained Avengers: Endgame editor, Jeff Ford. "We knew she was going to do that, but what we did alter and add and expand later, mostly because of how much we loved what Brie was doing with the character, was her fight with Thanos before he power punches her back."
Captain Marvel left a mark on the Marvel Cinematic Universe, setting the stage for exciting future adventures and collaborations. Avengers: Endgame became the highest-grossing superhero movie with a box office earnings of $2.78 billion.
6 Brie Larson - Captain Marvel - $1.13 Billion - Lead Role
In Captain Marvel, Brie Larson plays Carol Danvers who would eventually become Captain Marvel after being exposed to a powerful alien device. Marvel Studios president, Kevin Feige described Larson as someone "you're going to want to go on the journey with," and that helped her land this major role. "With Captain Marvel, who has powers that approach a level that we haven't seen before in our films, you need to counterbalance that by finding somebody who is also very human and very relatable and can get into a groove with the audience, where they're willing to see her fly through the sun and punch a moon away from a spacecraft," expressed Feige in an intervew with Variety. "At the same time, we need her to land and have relatable flaws."
For this Brie Larson movie, the actress had to undergo a significant physical transformation. Larson put on 15 lbs. of muscle and got completely ripped to play the superhero. The film stayed true to Marvel film standards and brought in major money at the box office with a worldwide earnings of $1.13 billion.
5 Brie Larson - Fast X - $714 Million - Lead Role
Brie Larson joined the Fast & Furious family as Tess in Fast X, alongside Vin Diesel and Jason Momoa. Larson joined the franchise in a major way, as Mr. Nobody's daughter, making her a huge connection to past films.
"Tess is Mr. Nobody's daughter. She is technically Agency, but she's kind of a bridge, in a way. She doesn't go along with the way that the Agency's headed now that her father isn't there. She believes in the legacy that her father set up, which is standing with Dom and standing with the Toretto family, and is fighting for that," Larson stated in an interview with Total Film about her Fast & Furious character. "Dom knows that she has a strong mind and definitely respects that she's gone out of her way to talk to him and wants to build trust. What he asks of Tess is a test. Like, if it's an impossible task, and she can get it done, then that's family for life."
This Brie Larson movie has been called a "disappointment" in the box office, because it definitely wasn't the best performing Fast & Furious film, only brining in $714 million worldwide, but it did have the highest production budget at $340 million.
4 Brie Larson - Kong: Skull Island - $561 Million - Lead Role
Brie Larson landed her first big blockbuster role as Mason Weaver, an anti-war photographer and investigative photojournalist, in the 2017 film Kong: Skull Island. A fun fact about this Brie Larson movie is that she actually played a second role in Kong, as a Skull Island natvie under heavy makeup who greats the survivors with a spear.
With $561 million in worldwide box office earnings, Kong: Skull Island has been described as a "moderate" success, however, it became the highest-grossing film in the MonsterVerse franchise, which includes Godzilla and King Kong's universe.
3 Brie Larson - Shang-Chi And The Legend of the Ten Rings - $432 Million - Supporting Role
Brie Larson's Captain Marvel made an unexpected cameo with Mark Ruffalo's Bruce Banner in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' post-credit scene. Larson and Ruffalo's characters were called upon by Shang-Chi's Wong who was eager to study the Ten Rings and needed help figuring where they came from and how they work.
Brie Larson's cameo in this film, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, continues a tradition between the director and the actress, as he tends to give her cameos in his films ever since her role in his movie Short Term 12. Fans hope Larson's appearance in the movie means there may be a part for Captain Marvel in Shang-Chi 2, though nothing has been determined.
2 Brie Larson - 21 Jump Street - $202 Million - Supporting Role
Brie Larson played Molly Tracey, a major character in the Jonah Hill - Channing Tatum comedy, 21 Jump Street (2012). Molly is a student in the high school who Jonah Hill's character, Schmidt, falls for and provides connection to the drug ring Schmidt and Channing Tatum's Jenko are trying to find.
Although Brie Larson's role in 21 Jump Street is considered one of her breakthrough roles and the movie did perform well in the box office, Larson did not return for the 2014 sequel film, 22 Jump Street. The directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller ultimately couldn't find a place for Larson's character in the story.
1 Brie Larson - Trainwreck - $141 Million - Supporting Role
Brie Larson joined Amy Schumer as her more mature, younger sister in Judd Apatow's 2015 movie, Trainwreck. Larson played her character, Kim Townsend, in a very deadpan manner, which proved to be the perfect counterpart for Schumer's hard-partying, free-spirited character. The film created a lifelong bond between Brie Larson and Amy Schumer, who Larson admits is a part of her "supportive text chain."
With only a $35 million budget, Trainwreck brought in big money, earning $141 million worldwid and put Amy Schumer on the A-List.
