Scarlett Johansson is an American-Danish actress. She is also known as a director, screenwriter, film producer and singer. She is known to the general public for having played Black Widow for more than ten years in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but also for her roles in many films, such as Lost in Translation, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Match Point or Marriage Story. She is in 2018 and 2019 the highest paid actress in the world.
Passionate about the theater from her earliest childhood, Scarlett Johansson started out on stage at the age of 8 alongside a certain Ethan Hawke, her partner in the play Sophistry on Broadway. Two years later, she got her first film role in The Irresistible North (1994). At 14, she landed the role of Grace in The Man Who Whispered in Horses’ Ear. His talent did not go unnoticed, and his career took off.
Childhood and family
Scarlett Ingrid Johansson was born on November 22, 1984 in New York in the Manhattan neighborhood, with his twin brother Hunter. His father, Karsten Olaf Johansson, was an architect from Copenhagen, Denmark, and her paternal grandfather, Ejner Johansson, was a historian, screenwriter and director, whose father was Swedish. Her mother, Melanie Sloan, is a New York producer from a Polish Jewish family in the Bronx. Scarlett’s parents met in Denmark while her mother was still living with Scarlett’s maternal grandmother, Dorothy, who was a librarian and teacher.
Part of her family, including her maternal grandfather’s brother, died in the Warsaw Ghetto .In addition to her twin Hunter, actress, Scarlett Johansson has an older sister, Vanessa, also an actress, an older brother, Adrian, and a half-brother, Christian, born from her father’s second marriage. She has American and Danish nationality.
Scarlett attended PS 41 Elementary School, located in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. Her parents divorced when she was thirteen. Scarlett was especially close to her maternal grandmother, Dorothy Sloan, who was an accountant and a school teacher. They often spent time together, and Scarlett considered her to be her best friend. Interested from a young age in a career in the limelight, she often did dance and singing performances for her family. She particularly liked musicals and jazz hands(type of dance in which the arms are extended, the palms facing the audience and the fingers spread). She was taking tap dance lessons, and says her parents have always supported her in her career choices. She describes her childhood and family as ordinary.
As a child, Scarlett practiced acting while standing in front of the mirror until she cried, she wanted to be Judy Garland in The Song of the Missouri (1944). At the age of seven, she was devastated when her brother was noticed by an agent and signed a contract for her, but she later decided to become an actress anyway. She enrolled at the Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute, and began auditioning for advertising campaigns, but quickly lost interest: “I didn’t want to promote Wonder Bread.
Table of Contents
Training and acting debut
Scarlett debuted in theater at the age of eight alongside Ethan Hawke in Sophistry. Her film career started around the age of 9 when his mother took him to auditions. At the age of 10 or 11, she auditioned for the role of Judy Shepherd in the movie Jumanji, but the role went to Kirsten Dunst. She landed her first film role in 1994 in the film The Irresistible North of Rob Reiner. She then followed the roles without really being noticed and it was in 1998 that she received the Young Star Award, awarded by The Hollywood Reporter magazine for her role as Grace in The Man Who Whispered in Horses Ear.
Critical revelation
She won in 2003 in two successive roles: first against Bill Murray in Lost in Translation by Sofia Coppola, then alongside Colin Firth in The Girl with a Pearl Earring, a meticulous reconstruction of Vermeer’s world. She was awarded the “Upstream Prize” at the Venice Film Festival for the first time and was selected for the Golden Globe Awards as Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy for Lost in Translation and Best Actress in a Dramatic Film forThe Girl with the Pearl Earring. She also won at the BAFTA the same year the award for best actress for her role in Lost in Translation. She was invited to the Oscars in June 2004 in order to present an award 14.
Between blockbusters and independent films
In 2010, she was among the first actors to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing the character of the Black Widow in the action film Iron Man 2, directed by Jon Favreau, replacing British actress Emily Blunt, who was to initially embody the role. She reprized her role in 2012 in the blockbuster Avengers. In May 2, 2012, she gets her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles.
The end of this year is marked by her role as Janet Leigh, in the biographical film on Alfred Hitchcock, Hitchcock. She performs there alongside Jessica Biel (Vera Miles), Helen Mirren ( Alma Reville ) and Anthony Hopkins (Alfred Hitchcock). And through his participation in the family comedy drama Nouveau Départ , directed by Cameron Crowe. She plays a young chief guardian of an abandoned zoo, alongside Matt Damon.
Black Widow in the Avengers
From 2008, Scarlett Johansson tries her hand at larger public roles. Thus, she begins her heroic adventures with The Spirit, a film adapted from the comic-book by Will Eisner. But the real success of this new registry comes with its active participation in the Marvel Universe. She became Black Widow / Black Widow in the 2010 Iron Man 2 movies and the 2012 hugely successful Avengers. In 2014, she will appear in the credits of Captain America: The Winter Soldier, before joining Avengers 2: Age of Ultron (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War, and the conclusion Avengers: Endgame (2019). She is scheduled to appear for the last time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in 2021, for the Black Widow movie centered on her character. This blockbuster, which she co-produced, earned her $ 20 million, compared to $ 1 million for the first Avengers. In 2018, she is the highest paid actress in the world with more than $ 40.5 million raised between 2017 and 2018.
Her career in music
In parallel with the cinema, Scarlett Johansson also made a career in music. She took part in the non-profit album Unexpected Dreams – songs from the stars, but also in the soundtrack of a short film by Bennett Miller. In 2007, she recorded the cover album Anywhere I Lay My Head alongside Tom Waits. In 2009, also released the album Break Up, composed of duets with Pete Yorn. The song Relator has had some success. After these forays into the world of music, Scarlett Johansson created her group The Singles in 2015.
During the summer of 2007, she recorded covers of Tom Waits in Mauritius, Louisiana. The album, titled Anywhere I Lay My Head, is a replay of music from Waits and was released on October 7. It is produced by David Sitek who called on David Bowie for the backing vocals (the latter had previously collaborated with Scarlett Johansson in the film The Prestige ); we can also hear the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Celebration. The first single from the album, Falling Down, comes with a music video.
Private Life
Scarlett Johansson has been married three times in her life. In 2020, she said “yes” to comedian and writer of Saturday Night Live Colin Jost, with whom she has been in a relationship since at least November 30, 2017. Previously, the actress had been married to actor Ryan Reynolds for two years before separating in 2011. She also married a French magazine editor, Romain Dauriac, in 2014. From this relationship, a daughter, Rose Dorothy Dauriac, was born. The couple separate, however, two years after their marriage. Scarlett Johansson has also been in a relationship with other personalities of the Hollywood industry, such as actor Josh Hartnett, actor Sean Penn or even the publicist Nate Naylor.
Public image
In early 2006, she made the American cover of Vanity Fair posing nude alongside Tom Ford and Keira Knightley. In March of the same year, she was voted the sexiest woman in the world by American readers of FHM (she is third in the ranking of the British edition). On May 2006, she is classified in 6th place in the ranking Hot 100 from Maxim; in November Esquire declared her “the sexiest woman”. It is 3e in the Hot 100 2007 Maxim. In 2018, she is considered the highest paid actress in the world. She raked in $ 40.5 million between June 2017 and June 2018.
Advertisements
Scarlett Johansson turns commercials for the perfume Eternity Moment by Calvin Klein and appears in posters and ads in magazines for this fragrance. One of the commercials is shown in his movie The Island. She became a symbol and spokesperson for Louis Vuitton in early 2005 and appeared in three of its advertising campaigns (spring 2005 and spring and fall 2007). On January 2006, she becomes spokesperson for L’Oréal.
In july 2006, Reebok signs an agreement with her to create “Scarlett ‘Hearts’ Rbk” sneakers, released in spring 2007; we will also see it in advertisements for these products.
In February 2009, she becomes the face of Moët & Chandon champagne. Finally, in 2009, it joined forces with Dolce & Gabbana cosmetics for their perfume The One and for their make-up, as well as with the Spanish ready-to-wear brand Mango.
In January 2014, she becomes the ambassador of the Israeli multinational Soda stream, and turns in the advertising spot of the mark at the Super Bowl. This advertisement arouses controversy for two reasons: on the one hand, the actress directly criticizes competitors Pepsi and Coca-Cola. On the other hand, the Oxfam International association (of which she was then an ambassador) and the promoters of the BDS campaign accuse Johansson of neglecting the presence of a Soda Stream factory in an Israeli colony. Scarlett Johansson resigns from the post of Oxfam International ambassador following this conflict of values.
Declarations
Scarlett Johansson has declared that she believes that monogamy may not be instinctive, but that she does everything in her power to ensure that her couple fits in with it. She also says that “contrary to what one might think, [she] is not libertine”, and that she is not the type to need to be in a relationship permanently, by linking up relationships, but still declares to have an HIV test twice a year.
Johansson loves cheese, saying his “biggest vice is cheese.” Nothing else reigns over my life”. She criticizes the media and Hollywood for promoting the dictates of beauty and making women want to eat unhealthy diets as well as eating disorders. She says that “being ultra-skinny is not sexy at all. Women should not feel compelled to conform to the unhealthy and unrealistic images of the human body disseminated by the media. ”
Political opinions
Scarlett Johansson has never hidden her progressive political views and her adherence to the American left. She is also a member of the Democratic Party and campaigned for the election of John Kerry during the 2004 presidential election. She says she was disappointed with the result of this election. She also participated in the anti-poverty campaign led by singer Bono.
She supported Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election, including appearing in the Democratic candidate’s Yes We Can music video alongside other celebrities.
During the campaign for the 2016 US presidential election, she appeared in a clip encouraging Americans to vote, an initiative of PAC Save the Day, which funds the campaign of Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton.
Filmography
●1994: The Irresistible North ( North ) by Rob Reiner: Laura Nelson
●1995: Juste Cause ( Just Cause ) by Arne Glimcher: Kate Armstrong
●1996: Manny & Lo by Lisa Krueger: Amanda
●1996: La Fille opposite ( If Lucy Fell ) by Eric Schaeffer: Emily
●1997: Fall by Eric Schaeffer: the little girl
●1997: Mom, I take care of the bad guys! ( Home Alone 3 ) by Raja Gosnell: Molly Pruitt
●1998: The Man Who Whispered in the Ear of Horses ( The Horse Whisperer ) by Robert Redford: Grace MacLean
●1999: My Brother the Pig by Erik Fleming: Kathy Caldwell
●2001: The Barber ( The Barber: The Man Who Wasn’t There ) by Joel Coen: Rachael Bundas
●2001 Ghost World by Terry ZwigoffRebecca
●2001: American Rhapsody ( An American Rhapsody ) by Eva Gardos: Suzanne
●2002: Eight Legged Freaks ( Eight Legged Freaks ) of Ellory ElkayemAshley Parker
●2003: Lost in Translation by Sofia Coppola: Charlotte
●2003: The Girl with a Pearl Earring ( Girl with a Pearl Earring ) of Peter Webber: Griet
●2004: The Perfect Score ( The Perfect Score ) of Brian RobbinsFrancesca Curtis
●2004: Love Song ( A Love Song For Bobby Long ) by Shainee Gabel: Pursy Will
●2004: The Seductress ( A Good Woman ) by Mike Barker: Lady Windermere 91
●2004 In Good Company ( In Good Company ) of Paul WeitzAlex Foreman
●2005: Match Point of Woody Allen: Nola Rice
●2005: The Island of Michael Bay: Jordan Two-Delta / Sarah Jordan
●2006: Scoop of Woody Allen: Sondra Pransky
●2006: Le Dahlia noir ( The Black Dahlia ) by Brian De Palma: Kay Lake
●2006: Le Prestige ( The Prestige ) by Christopher Nolan: Olivia
●2007: The Nanny Diaries ( The Nanny Diaries ) by Shari Springer Berman and Robert PulciniAnnie “Nan” Braddock
●2008: Two Sisters for a King ( The Other Boleyn Girl ) by Justin Chadwick: Mary Boleyn
●2008: Vicky Cristina Barcelona by Woody Allen: Cristina
●2008: The Spirit by Frank Miller: Silken Floss
●2009: What Men Think ( He’s Just Not That Into You ) by Ken Kwapis: Anna
●2010: Iron Man 2 by Jon Favreau: Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow
●2011: New Start ( We Bought a Zoo ) by Cameron Crowe: Kelly Foster
●2012: Avengers ( Marvel’s The Avengers ) by Joss Whedon: Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow
●2013: Hitchcock by Sacha Gervasi: Janet Leigh
●2013: Don Jon by Joseph Gordon-Levitt: Barbara Sugarman
●2013: Under the Skin by Jonathan Glazer: Laura
●2013: Her by Spike Jonze: Samantha (voice)
●2014: #Chef ( Chef ) of Jon Favreau: Molly
●2014: Captain America: The Winter Soldier ( Captain America: The Winter Soldier ) of Russo BrothersNatasha Romanoff / Black Widow
●2014: Lucy by Luc Besson: Lucy
●2015: Avengers: Age of Ultron ( Avengers: Age of Ultron ) de Joss Whedon: Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow
●2016: Ave, Caesar! ( Hail, Caesar! ) By Joel and Ethan Coen: DeeAnna Moran
●2016: The Jungle Book ( The Jungle Book ) by Jon Favreau: Kaa (voice)
●2016: Captain America: Civil War by Anthony and Joe Russo: Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow
●2017: Ghost in the Shell by Rupert Sanders: Motoko Kusanagi
●2017: Worst Party ( Rough Night ) of Lucia AnielloJess
●2018: Avengers: Infinity War by Anthony and Joe Russo: Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow
●2019: Captain Marvel by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck: Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow (post-generic scene, uncredited)
●2019: Avengers: Endgame by Anthony and Joe Russo: Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow
●2019: Jojo Rabbit by Taika Waititi: Rosie Betzler
●2019: Marriage Story by Noah Baumbach: Nicole
5 Things you (maybe) didn’t know about the actress
She has a twin brother
Did you know Scarlett Johansson has a twin brother? The latter is called Hunter and is a few minutes younger than the actress. He also tried an acting career but quickly gave up and worked for Barack Obama. Scarlett Johansson is also not the only actress in her family since her sister Vanessa also makes films. As for his relatives? Scarlett Johansson’s mother was a producer and her grandfather was a historian but also a screenwriter and director.
She almost didn’t star in Lucy
Scarlett Johansson is 100% badass in the film Lucy, directed by Luc Besson, and largely shot in Paris. But she almost did not play the heroine. Before the announcement of her casting, another movie star was in talks to get the role: Angelina Jolie! The actress was supposed to play Lucy but had to give up the role.
Her famous exes
Today, Scarlett Johansson is very happy in love and in October 2020 married her boyfriend, comedian Colin Jost who writes for the show Saturday Night Live. It is not his first marriage but his third. In the past, Scarlett Johansson was in a relationship for two years with Josh Hartnett. She was then in a relationship with Ryan Reynolds with whom she was married between 2008 and 2011. In 2012, she started dating the French Romain Dauriac with whom she had a daughter, Rose, born in 2014. The couple got together is married that same year and divorced in 2017.
She debuted at age 9
Scarlett Johansson has always been passionate about comedy and she started very early! She had her first role at age 9 in a play with Ethan Hawke. She only had a very small role, but this springboard allowed her to make her film debut in the film The Irresistible North released in 1994. Despite her nascent career, she failed the famous comedy school Tisch School of the Arts (where Anne Hathaway, Spike Lee and Martin Scorsese studied). One thing that did not prevent her from making a name for herself since her role in Lost in Translation, in 2003, revealed her more widely to the general public.
She released two albums
In addition to being an acclaimed actress, Scarlett Johansson also has a passion for music! She released her first album, “Anywhere I Lay My Head” in 2008 and released a second album the following year. The star has also released four EPs, but the success was not necessarily there.