Zoe Saldaña is now the highest-grossing actor of all time, Rema sweeps at 9th AFRIMA Awards with three major wins, Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso exits with replacement immediately announced. Stay in the know with our Rave News Digest, which summarizes five of the hottest global news stories you need to catch up on, saving you time and energy. Consider it your daily news fix.
Here is a rundown of five of the hottest news topics…
1. Zoe Saldaña is now the highest-grossing actor of all time
Zoe Saldaña is the highest grossing actor of all time.
Surpassing Scarlett Johansson and generating over $15 billion at the box office. pic.twitter.com/sQU16DKfua
— Complex Pop Culture (@ComplexPop) January 11, 2026
Zoe Saldaña has officially become the highest-grossing actor of all time, with her films earning more than $15.4 billion worldwide. The milestone was cemented by the massive success of “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” which recently crossed the $1 billion mark worldwide and pushed Saldaña past former record-holder Scarlett Johansson. The achievement underscores her remarkable presence across some of Hollywood’s biggest franchises, including the Avatar saga as Neytiri, the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Gamora, and the Star Trek reboots as Nyota Uhura, placing her well ahead of Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Downey Jr., and Chris Pratt in the all-time rankings.
Since making her film debut in the early 2000s, Saldaña has built one of the most commercially successful careers in movie history, appearing in blockbusters such as “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” multiple Avatar films, five MCU entries, and the Star Trek trilogy. In 2023, she became the first actor ever to appear in four films that each grossed more than $1 billion globally, and she added critical acclaim to her résumé with an Academy Award win for Best Supporting Actress for “Emilia Pérez” last year. Saldaña is currently starring in the Paramount+ series “Lioness,” while the future of the Avatar franchise remains a topic of discussion, with “Avatar 4” still slated for a December 21, 2029 release as fans await further confirmation from director James Cameron.
2. Rema sweeps at 9th AFRIMA Awards with three major wins
Artist of the Year
🏆 WINNER: Rema
Best African Artiste, Duo or Group in African R&B & Soul
🏆 WINNER: Rema
Best Male Artist in Western Africa
🏆 WINNER: Rema pic.twitter.com/4GBWGewryu
— THE DEBUT HUB (@thedebuthub) January 12, 2026
Rema dominated the 9th All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) on Sunday night in Lagos, emerging as the ceremony’s biggest winner with three major awards. The 25-year-old Mavin Records star claimed Best Male Artiste in Western Africa, beating out industry heavyweights Burna Boy, Davido, and Wizkid, before going on to secure the coveted Artiste of the Year honor. He capped off his remarkable night by winning Best African Artiste in RnB/Soul for his global smash hit, “Calm Down,” further cementing his status as one of Africa’s most influential music exports.
Accepting his awards at the Eko Hotels Convention Centre, Rema reflected on his journey since his 2019 debut, joking about “getting old” at 25 while celebrating seven years of consistency in the industry. His speech quickly turned reflective and forward-looking, as he urged fellow artistes to continue supporting African-owned platforms to safeguard the unity and long-term global success of Afrobeats. The star-studded 9th AFRIMA, which honored excellence across 40 categories, also saw Burna Boy win Album of the Year for “No Sign of Weakness” and Shallipopi take home Song of the Year for “Laho,” rounding out a night that celebrated the depth and diversity of African music.
3. US film stars Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors become Guinea citizens after DNA tests
American Movie Stars, Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors have received Guinean citizenship, after a DNA test confirmed their Guinean ancestry. pic.twitter.com/BXd3FfIxoy
— Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) January 11, 2026
US film stars Meagan Good and Jonathan Majors have been granted Guinean citizenship after tracing their ancestry to the West African nation through DNA testing. The husband-and-wife actors traveled to Guinea for a private cultural ceremony organized by the Ministry of Culture at the Gbassi Kolo tourist and cultural center, where they were formally presented with passports on behalf of President Mamadi Doumbouya. Majors, known for roles in “Creed” and “Ant-Man,” said the recognition allows the couple to “bridge the gap” between their personal histories and their work as entertainers in the African diaspora, while Good, best known for “Think Like a Man,” described the moment as deeply meaningful during her first visit to the country.
The ceremony featured traditional music and dance performances, including djembe drumming, and formed part of a broader regional effort to encourage people of African descent to reconnect with their heritage. The couple said they see their connection to Guinea as long-term and are considering spending meaningful time in the country, including potentially owning a home there. Their citizenship follows a growing trend of global celebrities reclaiming African roots, sparked in part by Ghana’s 2019 “Year of Return,” with figures such as Stevie Wonder, Ciara, and Samuel L. Jackson also acquiring African citizenships in recent years.
4. Funke Akindele makes history as “Behind The Scenes” crosses N2bn
Records are milestones, not the mission. From A Tribe Called Judah grossing 1B to Behind The Scenes crossing 2B and still counting, this is God in motion. And i’m most grateful to my maker and return all the glory to him. The lesson remains unchanged: serve the story, respect the… pic.twitter.com/RIYlVvkHVG
— Funke Akindele (@funkeakindele) January 12, 2026
Nollywood filmmaker and actor Funke Akindele has made history as her latest film, “Behind The Scenes,” crossed the ₦2 billion mark at the box office, becoming the first Nollywood production to achieve the milestone. The record-breaking feat was confirmed on Monday by the film’s distributor, FilmOne Entertainment, which announced that the movie has now grossed ₦2,103,039,706 in ticket sales, setting a new benchmark for African cinema.
In a statement shared on X, FilmOne said the film had “officially broken and shattered records,” noting that Behind The Scenes is now the highest-grossing Nollywood film of all time in Africa. The distributor also revealed that the title has topped the charts as the most successful Nollywood release in the United Kingdom and Ireland, underscoring Akindele’s growing global reach and further solidifying her status as one of Nollywood’s most commercially successful filmmakers.
5. Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso exits with replacement immediately announced
🚨💣 BREAKING: XABI ALONSO LEAVES REAL MADRID WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT. pic.twitter.com/3glDvvpMQ9
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 12, 2026
Real Madrid have announced the departure of head coach Xabi Alonso following Sunday’s 3-2 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final, bringing his tenure to an end just seven months after his appointment. In a statement released on Monday, the club said the decision was reached by mutual agreement, praising Alonso as a “Real Madrid legend” and thanking him and his coaching staff for their dedication. The former midfielder oversaw 34 matches in all competitions, recording 24 wins, four draws, and six losses, including a run to the FIFA Club World Cup semi-finals and a second-place finish in La Liga.
The club moved swiftly to name Álvaro Arbeloa as Alonso’s replacement, confirming the former right-back as the new first-team coach. Arbeloa, a former teammate of Alonso at both Real Madrid and Liverpool, steps up from the club’s youth system after most recently managing Castilla, the club’s B team. Although the role marks his first senior managerial appointment, Real Madrid highlighted his successful coaching track record within the academy, where he won multiple youth titles, as well as his decorated playing career that included two Champions League trophies, a La Liga title, and two Copa del Rey wins with the club.
Featured image: Getty Images
Our Weekday News Digest brings you a curated selection of the most compelling stories from around the globe. This week, we delve into the latest celebrity headlines, from Hollywood to Nollywood, explore trending global news, and highlight the most exciting sports developments of 2026.
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