Scarlett Johansson

Biography:

Scarlett  Johansson was born on November 22, 1984, in Manhattan, New York City. Her father, Karsten Olaf Johansson, hails from Copenhagen, Denmark, working as an architect, while her mother, Melanie Sloan, a New Yorker, pursued a career in production. Johansson’s maternal lineage traces back to Ashkenazi Jewish roots, with ancestors fleeing Poland and Russia. She identifies strongly with her Jewish heritage. Johansson has siblings: an older sister named Vanessa, an older brother named Adrian, and a twin brother named Hunter. Additionally, she has an older half-brother, Christian, from her father’s previous marriage. Possessing dual American and Danish citizenship, Johansson discovered through a 2017 episode of PBS’s Finding Your Roots that her maternal great-grandfather’s brother and extended family perished during the Holocaust in the Warsaw Ghetto.

During her early schooling years at PS 41 in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, Johansson’s parents separated when she was thirteen. She shared a close bond with her maternal grandmother, Dorothy Sloan, often regarding her as her best friend. Displaying a keen interest in performing arts since childhood, Johansson frequently entertained her family with song-and-dance routines, harboring a particular affection for musical theater and jazz hands. She honed her acting skills by practicing in front of a mirror, aiming to evoke emotions akin to Judy Garland in Meet Me in St. Louis. Despite facing initial setbacks, such as a talent agent signing one of her brothers instead of her, Johansson remained determined to pursue acting. Transitioning from commercial auditions to theater, she made her stage debut with a minor role in the off-Broadway production Sophistry alongside Ethan Hawke. Concurrently, Johansson enrolled at the Professional Children’s School in Manhattan, focusing on her passion for acting and theater.

At the age of nine, Johansson made her cinematic debut as John Ritter’s on-screen daughter in the fantasy comedy North (1994). Reflecting on her early experiences on set, she expressed an intuitive understanding of her role. Subsequently, she took on minor roles such as portraying the daughter of characters played by Sean Connery and Kate Capshaw in the mystery thriller Just Cause (1995), as well as depicting an art student in If Lucy Fell (1996). Johansson’s first major role was in Manny & Lo (1996) where she portrayed Amanda, the younger sister of a pregnant teenager who flees her foster home, alongside Aleksa Palladino and her brother, Hunter. Her performance garnered acclaim, with critics praising her charm and projecting a promising future in acting. This role earned her a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Female.

Following appearances in minor roles in Fall and Home Alone 3 (both in 1997), Johansson gained broader recognition for her portrayal in The Horse Whisperer (1998), directed by Robert Redford. Adapted from Nicholas Evans’ novel, the film depicts a horse trainer helping an injured teenager (Johansson) and her horse recover. Johansson, at the age of 13, received acclaim for her portrayal, with critics highlighting her ability to convey the complexities of her character. Her performance earned her a nomination for the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Most Promising Actress. She acknowledged the impact of the film on her career, recognizing acting as the manipulation of emotions.

Johansson continued to diversify her roles, appearing in films like My Brother the Pig (1999) and The Man Who Wasn’t There (2001), directed by the Coen brothers. However, her breakthrough came with Ghost World (2001), directed by Terry Zwigoff, where she played a cynical outsider. Auditioning for the role from New York via tape, Johansson’s performance was lauded for its depth and earned her a Toronto Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress. Despite a lukewarm reception upon its release, Ghost World has since gained a cult following.

In 2002, Johansson starred alongside David Arquette in the horror comedy Eight Legged Freaks. That same year, after graduating from the Professional Children’s School, she applied to New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts but was rejected, leading her to concentrate on her burgeoning film career.

In 2003, Johansson made a transition from teenage roles to more mature characters with her performances in two films: the romantic comedy-drama Lost in Translation and the drama Girl with a Pearl Earring. In Lost in Translation, directed by Sofia Coppola, she portrayed Charlotte, a young wife feeling adrift and lonely, opposite Bill Murray. Coppola, who had noticed Johansson’s talent in Manny & Lo, likened her to a young Lauren Bacall and drew inspiration from Bacall’s relationship with Humphrey Bogart in The Big Sleep (1946) for the film’s storyline. Johansson appreciated working with a female director like Coppola, finding her empathetic. Despite its modest $4 million budget, Lost in Translation earned $119 million at the box office and received widespread critical acclaim, with Roger Ebert praising the lead actors’ performances as “wonderful” and Entertainment Weekly commending Johansson’s “embracing, restful serenity.” The New York Times also commended Johansson, then 17, for her portrayal of an older character.

In Girl with a Pearl Earring, directed by Peter Webber and based on Tracy Chevalier’s novel, Johansson portrayed Griet, a young servant in the household of Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer (played by Colin Firth). Webber conducted extensive auditions before casting Johansson for the role. Although Johansson found the character emotionally resonant, she chose not to read the novel beforehand to approach the story with fresh eyes. Girl with a Pearl Earring received positive reviews and was financially successful. Critics praised Johansson’s performance, with Anthony Lane of The New Yorker crediting her for keeping the film “alive” and Owen Gleiberman of Entertainment Weekly noting her “nearly silent performance” as intensely dramatic. Johansson received nominations for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role and the Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress for both films in 2003, winning the BAFTA for Lost in Translation.

Variety recognized Johansson’s roles in Lost in Translation and Girl with a Pearl Earring as establishing her as one of the most versatile actresses of her generation. Despite critical and commercial failures of three of her releases in 2004—The Perfect Score, A Love Song for Bobby Long, and A Good Woman—Johansson’s performance alongside John Travolta in A Love Song for Bobby Long was praised by David Rooney of Variety, who stated that her and Travolta’s performances salvaged the film. Johansson received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Drama for her role in A Love Song for Bobby Long.

In 2005, Johansson portrayed Nola, an aspiring actress entangled in an affair with a married man played by Jonathan Rhys Meyers, in Woody Allen’s drama Match Point. Initially, the character was British, but Allen changed it to American after replacing Kate Winslet with Johansson for the role. Johansson, an admirer of Allen’s work, felt anxious on her first day of filming but impressed critics with her performance, with The New York Times praising her alongside Rhys Meyers. Match Point was a commercial success and earned Johansson nominations for the Golden Globe and the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress. That same year, she starred alongside Ewan McGregor in Michael Bay’s science fiction film The Island, portraying dual roles as Sarah Jordan and her clone, Jordan Two Delta. Johansson found the filming schedule exhausting and suffered an injury on set. The film received mixed reviews and performed moderately at the box office.

In 2006, Johansson appeared in two films centered around stage magicians, both opposite Hugh Jackman. In Allen’s Scoop, she portrayed a journalism student, earning mixed reviews from critics, while Brian De Palma’s The Black Dahlia saw her playing a role she initially deemed unsuitable. Reviews for her performance in The Black Dahlia were mixed, with some critics finding her miscast. The Nanny Diaries, released in 2007, was Johansson’s sole film of the year, receiving negative reviews. In 2008, she starred in The Other Boleyn Girl alongside Natalie Portman and Eric Bana, which garnered mixed reviews, but Johansson’s portrayal of Mary was praised as the film’s emotional center.

In her third collaboration with Woody Allen, Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), filmed in Spain, Johansson portrayed one of Javier Bardem’s love interests alongside Penélope Cruz. The film was commercially successful and received favorable reviews, with Johansson being described as “open and malleable” by Variety. However, her role in The Spirit as the femme fatale Silken Floss was poorly received by critics. In 2009, Johansson played Anna Marks, a yoga instructor, in the ensemble comedy-drama He’s Just Not That into You, which received lukewarm reviews but performed well at the box office.

Having harbored a desire to grace Broadway since her childhood, Johansson fulfilled this dream by making her debut in a 2010 revival of Arthur Miller’s drama A View from the Bridge. Portraying Catherine, a troubled niece entangled in a taboo romance, Johansson initially hesitated due to her age but ultimately embraced the role, earning praise from critics. Her performance garnered her the 2010 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play, although some criticized the recognition of mainstream Hollywood actors like herself in theater.

In the same year, Johansson landed the role of Black Widow in Jon Favreau’s Iron Man 2, after Emily Blunt withdrew due to scheduling conflicts. Despite initial skepticism, Johansson impressed as the superheroine, undergoing physical training and dyeing her hair red for authenticity. The film’s commercial success was marred by critiques of her character’s development. Johansson also starred as Kelly, a zookeeper, in the family film We Bought a Zoo, receiving favorable reviews for her portrayal.

In 2013, Johansson took on the role of Maggie in a Broadway revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, garnering mixed reviews for her performance. She also appeared in Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s directorial debut, Don Jon, as the titular character’s girlfriend, earning praise for her performance. Additionally, Johansson voiced the character Samantha in Spike Jonze’s Her, receiving acclaim for her portrayal of the complex AI. She also starred in Jonathan Glazer’s Under the Skin as an otherworldly predator, showcasing her versatility and earning accolades for her compelling performance, including a BIFA Award nomination.

Continuing her involvement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Johansson returned as Black Widow in Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014). In the film, she teams up with Captain America (Chris Evans) and Falcon (Anthony Mackie) to uncover a conspiracy within S.H.I.E.L.D. while confronting the enigmatic assassin known as the Winter Soldier. Notably, Johansson and Evans contributed to crafting their dialogue for several scenes shared between their characters. Johansson was drawn to her character’s approach to her duties, emphasizing cunning over physical allure. The movie received widespread acclaim and achieved significant commercial success, grossing over $714 million worldwide. Critic Odie Henderson particularly lauded Johansson’s portrayal, noting her ability to convey depth effortlessly. Her performance earned her a nomination for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Johansson also took on a supporting role in the film Chef (2014), alongside Robert Downey Jr., Sofía Vergara, and director Jon Favreau. The movie garnered over $45 million at the box office and garnered praise from critics. Lucy (2014), a Luc Besson-directed science fiction action film, featured Johansson in the titular role, where her character gains extraordinary abilities after ingesting a powerful drug. Critics generally lauded the film’s thematic depth, visual aesthetics, and Johansson’s performance, despite some reservations about the plot’s coherence. IGN’s Jim Vejvoda attributed much of the film’s success to Johansson’s compelling acting and Besson’s distinctive directorial style. Lucy grossed $458 million worldwide, solidifying its status as one of the top-grossing films of 2014.

In subsequent years, Johansson reprised her role as Black Widow in MCU installments Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015) and Captain America: Civil War (2016). During the filming of Age of Ultron, innovative techniques such as close-ups, concealing costumes, and visual effects were employed to conceal Johansson’s pregnancy. Both films achieved staggering financial success, each grossing over $1.1 billion globally. Johansson received acclaim for her portrayal in Civil War, earning nominations for the Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Actress in an Action Movie and the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress. Additionally, in 2016, she appeared in the Coen brothers’ comedy film Hail, Caesar!, lent her voice to characters in The Jungle Book and Sing, and narrated an audiobook rendition of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

In 2019, Johansson revisited her role as Black Widow in Avengers: Endgame, the highest-grossing film ever. Following this, she starred in Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story, a Netflix production where she and Adam Driver portrayed a couple undergoing a divorce. Johansson connected deeply with her character, especially as she was undergoing her own divorce at the time. Critics lauded her performance, with Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian praising its nuanced portrayal. Additionally, she played a supporting role in Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit as a mother sheltering a Jewish girl in Nazi Germany. This earned her acclaim, with Stephanie Zacharek highlighting her as the heart of the film. These performances led to Johansson receiving her first two Academy Award nominations, for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress for Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit respectively, making her one of the twelfth performers ever to be nominated for two Oscars in the same year. She also received BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for her roles.

After a year away from the screen, Johansson returned as Black Widow in her standalone prequel film in 2021, also serving as an executive producer. Starring alongside Florence Pugh, the film explores her character’s past after the events of Captain America: Civil War. Johansson saw this film as a chance to showcase her character’s independence and vulnerability. Critics praised the performances of Johansson and Pugh, with many considering it a fitting showcase for Johansson’s talents. Alongside this, she reprised her voice role in Sing 2.

However, in July 2021, Johansson filed a lawsuit against Disney, alleging that the simultaneous release of Black Widow on Disney+ breached her contract, which specified an exclusive theatrical release and impacted her bonus from box-office profits. Disney responded, accusing her of disregarding the pandemic’s effects and claiming she had already received significant compensation. After public dispute, they settled the matter in September, with the terms undisclosed, though it was later reported she received over $40 million.

Johansson’s return to screens included Wes Anderson’s comedy Asteroid City (2023) premiered at Cannes, where she led an ensemble cast. She took a pay cut for her role in the film, praising Anderson’s precise approach. Anthony Lane of The New Yorker commended her performance for its depth and wit. Additionally, she appeared in Kristin Scott Thomas’s North Star, although it received mixed reviews, with criticism directed at Johansson’s accent.

Upcoming projects for Johansson include Project Artemis, a space race film for Apple TV+, opposite Channing Tatum, and a voice role in Transformers One, a prequel to the Transformers series.

Johansson received an invitation to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in June 2004. She was listed on Forbes’ Celebrity 100 roster in 2006, and subsequently in 2014, 2015, 2018, and 2019. Her contributions were recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in May 2012. Additionally, she was featured on the Time 100 list in 2021, which highlights the world’s most influential individuals according to Time magazine.

Johansson consistently appeared on Forbes’ annual list of highest-paid actresses from 2014 to 2016, earning $17 million, $35.5 million, and $25 million, respectively. She later topped the list in 2018 and 2019, earning $40.5 million and $56 million respectively. In 2016, she emerged as the highest-grossing actor, raking in a total of $1.2 billion, a feat acknowledged by IndieWire for her willingness to take on challenging roles. Her films have amassed over $5.2 billion in North America and over $14.3 billion worldwide as of September 2019, positioning Johansson as the third-highest-grossing box-office star both domestically and globally, and the highest-grossing actress in North America.

Johansson has been prominently featured in advertising campaigns for renowned brands such as Calvin Klein, Dolce & Gabbana, L’Oréal, and Louis Vuitton. She has served as the face of the Spanish fashion brand Mango since 2009. Notably, she made history as the first Hollywood celebrity to represent a champagne producer, starring in ads for Moët & Chandon. However, her endorsement deal with SodaStream, an Israeli home-carbonation products company, sparked controversy due to its operations in Israeli-occupied territory in the West Bank. Johansson’s association with the brand commenced with a television commercial during Super Bowl XLVIII on February 2, 2014.