Scarlett Johansson: Rising Superstar to Feminist Icon

In the past few years, Scarlett Johansson has gone from being best known for playing a teenage mutant in a superhero blockbuster to being one of Hollywood’s most outspoken and visible actresses. Her roles have grown more complex as she has taken on parts that defy outdated expectations of what a female movie star is allowed to be: a computer hacker, an alien seductress, and now an outspoken feminist.
Called “outspoken” by some and “self-aware” by others, Johansson’s feminism strays from the subtlety of the #MeToo moment. Yet her willingness to speak up about gender inequality, pay equity, and equal representation of women in media has made her an unexpected spokeswoman for women everywhere.
For decades, Hollywood was built on the image of the blonde bombshell; however in recent years there has been an influx of strong female characters coming to life on screen. The same cannot be said for real life and it is because of this that Scarlett Johansson remains one of Hollywood’s most powerful V-Femme actors .

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An Early Start and a Rocky Road

Scarlett Johansson was born in 1984 and grew up in New York City and in parts of New Jersey. Her childhood was not without its rocky patches, as her parents divorced when she was 2 years old. Despite this, she has said that growing up with her mother and two grandparents was very positive. She was close with her grandparents and credits this time in her life with sparking her interest in acting. When she was just 8 years old, she convinced her mother to drive her to auditions after she saw money was being paid to other kids for simply reading a script. She was quickly signed to a children’s management company and began booking small parts in commercials and on episodic television. Johansson’s first big break came at age 11 when she was cast in the Broadway revival of the classic musical, “My Own Private Idaho”. She stayed with the show for two years and earned a Theater World Award for outstanding breakthrough performance. After this, she was cast as the teenage daughter in the television series, “Ally McBeal”. This role earned her a Golden Globe nomination and the attention of the big screen.

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Becoming a Leading Lady

Johansson’s first film role was in the 2000 drama, “The Horse Whisperer”. She played the daughter of an unstable lawyer played by Robert Redford. The following year, she landed the role of a young woman living with an eating disorder in the drama, “Girl, Interrupted”. The film was critically acclaimed and earned her a Young Hollywood Award for Rising Star. Her first blockbuster role came in 2002 when she was cast as the Black Widow in the superhero film, “Iron Man 2”. While many critics praised her performance, others criticized the film’s decision to cast a 23-year-old to play a 14-year-old Russian spy.

From Girl Next Door to Feminist Icon

Johansson’s first foray into being a leading lady came in 2004 when she starred as a young woman on the run from the law in the cult classic, “Lost in Translation”. Her role as Charlotte brought her critical praise and her first Academy Award nomination for best actress. She would go on to earn a Golden Globe for the same role. Later that year she was cast as the Black Widow in her first standalone film, “The Avengers”. This would be the first of six standalone Marvel films for the actress, a streak that earned her the title of “the female Robert Downey Jr.” In 2011, Johansson was cast in “We Bought a Zoo”, a family comedy based on a real-life story. While the movie earned a large audience and generally positive reviews, many critics took issue with Johansson’s character and her relationship with her onscreen husband played by Matt Damon. One critic wrote, “[She] is a bad mother and an even worse wife,” while another said, “She’s stuck in a vapid, one-note role that’s more hindrance than help.”

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In Defense of Being a Paid Escort

In 2018, Johansson was cast as the lead in the film “Rub and Tug”, a biographical crime drama about the life of Dante “Tex” Gill, a real-life massage parlor owner and pimp who was identified as transgender in his obituary. The film was criticized for casting Johansson, who is not transgender, in the role. In response, she said, “I would never play any character that I felt was offensive.” Johansson’s statement earned the ire of many critics and trans activists who viewed the role of Tex as an offensive stereotype and not remotely representative of real trans people. In response to the criticism, Johansson withdrew from the film and issued an apology. However, this did not quell the furor and was met with criticism that she was simply issuing an apology for the bad press and not for the actual transgression.

Conclusion

Johansson has been making headlines for her growing activism since early 2017. That year she was named a guest editor for the online edition of the British publication, “The New York Times”. Her edition was dedicated to the conversation around women’s issues and featured pieces by prominent feminist writers. Her growing profile as an activist was cemented in September of that year when she gave a speech at the United Nations (UN) and declared, “The path to equality must be forged, it must be shared.” Last year, she was appointed as a spokesperson for the brand of household cleaning products, “Clorox”, and became a part of their #TrustBleed campaign. The campaign is dedicated to shedding light on women’s work and the idea that women are responsible for cleaning and maintaining their homes. Now more than ever, it is important to celebrate strong female voices and the women who use their platform to speak out on issues that matter. Scarlett Johansson has proven that she is both a capable actress and a powerful woman who is not afraid to use her voice.

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