Scarlett Johansson is well known for her role as Black Widow in the Avengers movies. However, she has a much bigger story than just her career.
Johansson was born on Nov. 22, 1984, in Manhattan, New York, and is one of five siblings, four of whom have careers in the film industry. Her acting career took off in 1994 but waves for her performance in the 2003 film, “Lost in Translation.” In 2010, Johansson became a household name when she took on the role of Natalia Romanova. Johansson’s fame and popularity may cause many to envy her; however, one thing many people may not realize would be the inappropriate attention she received along the way.
For many years, Johansson was receiving attention but not for her acting. Instead, she was gaining attention for her looks. People all over the world would hyper-sexualize her for the roles she played, even at a very young age. Johansson had something to say about this issue stating, “I think everybody thought I was older and that I’d been [acting] for a long time, I got kind of pigeonholed into this weird hypersexualized thing.” (Source: Variety). She began explaining how starting her career as a teen affected the whole situation; she believed that the characters she played at the beginning of her career were often women who were an object of desire. For example, in “Iron Man 2,” even Tony Stark tries complimenting Black Widow, focusing on her appearance rather than her personality as a character. To combat being pigeonholed as another “pretty face on camera,” she tried out for other roles that focused on her acting skills. Nowadays, she has been gaining the respect of the public audience and the level of objectification has been decreasing. However, many people will always find Black Widow and Scarlett Johansson herself, nothing more than an object of possession.
Through her talents and outspoken nature, Johansson has impacted and inspired many people. She has especially helped people understand that women of all ages offer so much more than just their appearance. Today, Johansson not only continues to act in films but is also her successful skincare brand, The Outset, which she co-founded and launched in March 2022. By diversifying her acting and business, Johannson has taken control of the narrative and has now shown everyone that she is not just an attractive woman, but a very inspiring actress and talented business owner.
