Fame Face-Off: Sandra Bullock, Emma Watson, or Angelina Jolie — Who Really Rules?

File this under rankings I did not have on my bingo card: Sandra Bullock just edged out Angelina Jolie and Emma Watson on YouGov's US list of the most famous 'all-time actresses' — and she absolutely smokes them on popularity.

YouGov splits this into two buckets — who people have heard of, and who they actually like. The definitions do a lot of work here, so let's get those straight:

'Fame' is the % of people who have heard of an all-time actress. 'Popularity' is the % of people who have a positive opinion of an all-time actress.

Headliners first: Marilyn Monroe sits at No. 1 on fame with a 98% score. Sandra Bullock lands at No. 8 with 94%. Angelina Jolie comes in at No. 10, also at 94%. Emma Watson is No. 21 with 90%.

Where it really separates is popularity. Bullock is No. 2 overall with a 74% positive score. Jolie drops to No. 39 at 54%. Watson is No. 34 at 59%. If your gut said Jolie would rank higher, you are not alone — but this is one of those times where the poll math tells a different story.

Now, does any of that line up with what they've been doing lately? Kind of. Since 2020, Bullock has had three projects; Jolie has been busy with six (including a Disney animated drama and a big MCU ensemble); Watson hasn't been on a movie set since 2019. For the numbers nerds, here’s how the recent box office shakes out (via The Numbers):

• Sandra Bullock
  The Unforgivable (Dec 10, 2021) — $13,023 (limited release)
  The Lost City (Mar 25, 2022) — $191,588,189
  Bullet Train (Aug 5, 2022) — $238,534,963
• Angelina Jolie
  Come Away (Nov 13, 2020) — $1,743,649
  Those Who Wish Me Dead (May 14, 2021) — $19,107,200
  Eternals (Nov 5, 2021) — $401,731,759
  Maria (Nov 27, 2024) — $12,065,804
  Note: The One and Only Ivan and Couture are on her recent filmography but not included in the revenue figures above.
• Emma Watson
  Little Women (Dec 2019) — $218,838,386 worldwide

Quick reminder: those grosses are for the movies overall — box office is a team sport — but you can still see the recent momentum. Bullock's had two solid hits in quick succession. Jolie's slate swings from modest to Marvel-sized. Watson's last outing was a legit hit, then she tapped out of acting (at least for now).

What’s next? Bullock is dusting off the spellbook for Practical Magic 2, finally. She’s back as Sally Owens, reuniting with Nicole Kidman. Susanne Bier is directing, with a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman and Georgia Pritchett. The cast is stacked: Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest, Joey King, Xolo Maridueña, Maisie Williams, and more.

She’s also cooking up a new romantic thriller with Keanu Reeves for Amazon MGM. Details are under wraps, but the studio’s calling it 'propulsive'. Make of that what you will.

Jolie, meanwhile, is set to play Zara in Anxious People, based on Fredrik Backman’s novel. Marc Forster is directing, David Magee wrote the script, and the ensemble includes Aimee Lou Wood, Jason Segel, Carol Kane, and Stephanie Allynne. IMDb also has four more titles on her docket: Maleficent 3, Maude v Maude, Sunny, and The Initiative.

As for Watson, her last film was Little Women in 2019 (she played Margaret), and she hasn’t returned to screens since. No new projects here to report.

So yeah, the poll says America knows Sandra and likes her more — even if Jolie is just as recognizable. Surprised? Not mad at it? Same.