Scarlett Johansson, known for her role as Black Widow in Marvel’s “Avengers” series, recently shared her experiences of feeling hypersexualized and pigeonholed in the early days of her acting career in Hollywood.
During a conversation with Dax Shepard on the “Armchair Expert” podcast, the 37-year-old actress discussed how the industry perceived her as older than she was, which impacted the roles she was offered.
Johansson mentioned that this misperception led her to be objectified and pigeonholed into roles she didn’t want. “I remember thinking to myself, ‘I think people think I’m 40 years old,'” she said.
Johansson explained that this perception was unsettling, leaving her wondering if there was a future for her in Hollywood. She expressed that the constant objectification was “scary,” saying, “Weirdly, I was like, ‘Is this it?'”
However, Johansson sees a positive shift in the industry, with younger actors in their 20s having more freedom to explore different roles.
“It’s another time, too,” she observed. “We’re not even allowed to pigeonhole other actors anymore, thankfully, right? People are much more dynamic,” she added.
Johansson started her career as a child actor but gained prominence at 17 when she starred in “Lost in Translation” alongside Bill Murray.
She also noted that, despite being younger than her character, she was often cast in hypersexualized roles.
In 2005, when she was just 19, she played a seductive role in “Match Point,” directed by Woody Allen, who later described her as “sexually radioactive” in his memoir.
Looking ahead, Johansson is set to star in the upcoming drama “My Mother’s Wedding,” which will be the directorial debut of Oscar-nominated actress Kristin Scott Thomas.
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