Scarlett Johansson sheds light on what she describes as a dark period in Hollywood in the early 2000s.
In a candid interview with CBS Sunday morningshe recalls that women in the industry faced challenges, noting that they were singled out for their looks and not their acting range.
“It was tough. There was a lot of focus on how women looked,” she says, adding that women were often typecast. “What was offered to women my age at the time, in terms of acting roles or opportunities, was much slimmer than it is today.”
Considering her example, Johansson adds that it was a source of frustration for her after she was given the same “bombshell” roles in the early 2000s, which prevented her from exercising her acting range.
“You would really end up in a box and be offered the same thing [roles]. It would be like the other woman, or the side piece, the bombshell,” she says. “That was the archetype that was prevalent when I was that age.”
The angry Johansson did not cope with the conditions in the industry at the time and fled to the theater scene in New York.
Her time there, she recalls, made her realize that waiting for “the right role” isn’t worth it for every character.
“It’s something I’ve learned over time, but it’s hard,” the Marvel star says. “Once you start working, you really feel that every job will be your last and that when you get opportunities to work, you have to keep taking them.
“Even though they may not be as varied as the jobs you really enjoy.”
“Every actor feels that way because it’s so competitive, and I think once you’re in the spotlight, you want to keep it on yourself. I mean, I think that’s the instinct of a young actor, or any actor for that matter.”
Johansson’s experience offers a glimpse into the industry, which she criticized when she made her breakout debut in 2003 at the age of 17. Lost in translation.
