Scarlett Johansson is opening up about how roles for women have changed since she entered Hollywood. She said that the roles available to women in Hollywood today are far more empowering than those she was offered early in her career.
In an interview with The Times of London, Johansson said that when she first entered the industry, the roles she was offered usually centered around “desirability”. The goals and needs of her male counterparts. However, she thinks the Hollywood of today is ushering in “a different time for young women.”
“The messaging is different – there are many more role models, women are visible in powerful positions and the opportunities I have had to play women who don’t have to just be one thing or another have increased,” Johansson said.
“But when I was younger, a lot of the roles I was offered, or I went for, had their ambitions or character arcs revolving around their own desirability, or the male gaze, or a male-centred story. That is less frequent, though – something has shifted,” she added.
Child Actor to Hollywood Star
Johansson, who began her film career as a child in the 1994 comedy North. Her diverse body of work also includes acclaimed films like Lost in Translation and Her. She is also known for playing Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
This isn’t the first time Johansson spoke out about her representation in Hollywood. Back in 2022, the “Avengers” star said she was so “hypersexualized” by the industry at a young age. She thought it would be impossible to branch out to different types of roles.
“I kind of became objectified and pigeonholed in this way where I felt like I wasn’t getting offers for work for things that I wanted to do,” Johansson said. “I remember thinking to myself, ‘I think people think I’m 40 years old.’ It somehow stopped being something that was desirable and something that I was fighting against.”
Artistic Merit vs Commercial Success
This is not just a hot take by the actress. Earlier in the year, she questioned why the commercial success of a movie should detract from its artistic merit. Johansson noted that Avengers: Endgame received only a nomination for Best Visual Effects at the Oscars. Black Panther remains the sole Marvel film to have secured a Best Picture nomination.
“How did this film not get nominated for an Oscar?” Johansson asked. “It was an impossible movie that should not have worked, that really works as a film – and also, it’s one of the most successful films of all time.”
Johansson’s latest work is Fly Me to the Moon. Released in 2024, the film was directed by Greg Berlanti. It also featured Channing Tatum in the lead role.
Also Read: Scarlett Johansson Reveals Real Reason Why She Doesn’t Like Taking Pictures With Fans
