Even the most talented actors can struggle with a film’s success, so for Scarlett Johansson, the past year has been a rare moment of triumph. She played a key role in Avengers: Endgame, the highest-grossing movie ever made, and has just finished filming for Black Widow, a standalone movie featuring her character. On top of that, her performances in Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit have garnered critical acclaim, with some even calling her a contender for best actress. Despite her success, Johansson remains cautious, acknowledging the hard work she put into achieving this moment but also wary of celebrating too much. She admits to being someone who is always waiting for the other shoe to drop, but is trying to change that habit.
Johansson, who is 35 years old, has been in the entertainment industry for about 25 years. Her career began at the age of 9 when she landed her first movie role in North. She then went on to star in The Horse Whisperer at the age of 13 and had a breakthrough adult role in Lost in Translation at 18. Although her career has been successful, Johansson admits that there have been times where it hasn’t been easy. She has experienced ebbs and flows in her feelings towards work and has struggled to find substantial and challenging roles. Stay updated with Hollywood’s film, TV, and entertainment news by subscribing to our newsletter, which also includes a special Awards Insider edition every Friday.
Lately, the issue of prioritization has become less of a concern for her. She attributes this to her experience as a mother, as her daughter Rose is now five years old. While she remains driven in her career, she admits that her focus has shifted from seeking a certain level of visibility or exposure. Instead, she is content with waiting for opportunities that align with her goals and values. This new phase of her career allows her to prioritize what truly matters to her.
Johansson expresses her admiration for Jojo Rabbit, claiming it was immediately apparent that the script was a masterpiece upon reading Taika Waititi’s creation. She praises its tight, surprising, and unusual nature, finding it to be a perfect gem. Having read various scripts throughout her career, Johansson recognizes when something is special. She had confidence in Waititi’s ability to bring the story to life and do it justice.
Johansson effortlessly found her character’s portrayal in the film, which centers around a mother who must navigate her young son’s fervent Nazi beliefs and her own moral compass. The character of Rosie resonated with the actress and she envisioned her as a warm and comforting presence, someone who viewers would miss deeply if she were absent. Johansson describes falling in love with Rosie and feeling compelled to bring her to life on screen. This role came on the heels of her captivating performance in Marriage Story, a project that almost never materialized years earlier. When director Noah Baumbach approached her to star in a film about divorce, Johansson was able to draw on her own recent experience with the subject matter.
Johansson is cautious about exaggerating the connection between her personal life and her portrayal of a character going through a divorce. While she acknowledges that her own experiences were beneficial, she also recognizes that the similarities were not absolute. Her familiarity with the bittersweet emotions involved in a divorce allowed her to understand the character’s feelings to some extent. However, Johansson emphasizes that she relied more on memories of her parents’ struggles than her own experiences of divorce.
Although both Johansson and her onscreen husband Driver have received significant praise for their authentic portrayal of a marriage in crisis, the actress wants to make it clear that their performances were not the result of improvisation. Despite the impression that some viewers may have, every moment of hesitation, every unfinished sentence, and every word spoken was carefully scripted. Johansson attests that the script itself was so well-written that there was no need for improvisation or ad-libbing. Director Noah Baumbach was extremely specific about every detail of the film’s dialogue, leaving no room for hesitation or uncertainty.
