Scarlett Johansson recently talked about being cast early in her career because of how she looked rather than her talent as an actress. In an interview with The Times, Johansson said she frequently was cast in roles that were male based. These roles were focused on her physicality and were not complex.
The actress experienced success in her late teens and early 20's with major acting roles in films like Lost in Translation and Match Point. The experience of doing films like that built her reputation, but now claims she was not creatively fulfilled in those roles. At the time, she was unsure of herself as a young actress to palpate those issues or ask for opportunities to express herself more creatively.
"I felt like I was objectified and put in a box in a way that didn't feel good," she said. "It took a long time for me to feel empowered enough to push back or willfully choose not to take certain roles."
Over time, Johansson gradually became choosier about the roles she took. She began to pick roles that challenged her and gave her more in terms of creatively engaging with the material as an actress. She started to take on more projects like Her and Under the Skin, which represented a new phase in which she was taking on roles that were emotionally complex and more thought provoking.
Johansson believes the industry is evolving and even evolving towards a better place for women. There are, according to her, more roles that speak to real people, and range and depth of character offer especially female actors. For her, today's younger actresses have more opportunities than she did to embody characters that are not solely defined by their appearance.
She also discussed how learning to wait for the right script influenced her career trajectory in a positive way. Of course, she said, taking breaks in between roles was difficult, but it allowed her time to consider, and time to find better material.
"I had to be comfortable with being patient. That was hard, but it paid off," Johansson said.
This change in her approach coincided with changes in the film industry. I think it’s a good thing that writers and directors are more aware now with representation and gender equity, and they’re making more diverse and realistic characters, and Johansson stated she is hopeful that it does not change and that the collective future generation of actors do not face those same barriers she did in the early stages of her career.
Scarlett Johansson Talks Getting Cast For Her 'Desirability' https://t.co/EI4cmOcK7E
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Johansson noted that being open about the challenges was important—not only for herself, but to help the industry evolve.
