Reflecting on Past Experiences: Scarlett Johansson Opens Up about Feeling Objectified and Pigeonholed in Hollywood

During a recent interview on Dax Shepard’s podcast, Armchair Expert, Scarlett Johansson opened up about feeling overly sexualized and typecast in her early days in Hollywood. The 37-year-old Black Widow actress shared how she felt like she was being seen as older than her actual age, which resulted in her missing out on the roles she was truly interested in. Johansson recalled feeling like she was being objectified and put into a box, making her frustrated with the lack of offers for projects she really wanted to tackle. It was a tough time for her as she reflected, “I think people think I’m 40 years old” in the industry.

When Scarlett Johansson looks back on her career, she recalls feeling typecast and overly sexualized during the early days of her Hollywood journey. “People assumed I was older and more experienced, so I was stuck in this strange hypersexualized image,” she explained. “It didn’t seem like that path had much longevity, so I was a bit scared. I couldn’t help but wonder, ‘Is this all there is?'”

Despite the challenges she faced, the actress from New York is optimistic about the industry evolving in a more positive direction.

“I started to feel like I was being reduced to an object and put into a narrow box, which made it hard for me to receive job offers for the roles I really wanted,” the 37-year-old actress revealed in a 2006 photo.

She shared her observation on how younger actors in their 20s are able to embrace diverse roles, unlike in the past. Johansson emphasized that the entertainment industry now allows actors to showcase their versatility without being boxed into one stereotype, which is a positive change. Johansson’s career took off when she was 17, starring in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation in 2003, alongside Bill Murray. Her performance in the film earned her a BAFTA Award for Best Actress, marking a significant milestone in her career.

Portrayed as overly sexualized: ‘People assumed I was older and more experienced in acting, which led to being typecast as this strangely hypersexualized character,’ she noted while reflecting on her experiences in 2004.

Johansson portrayed a character in a romantic comedy who was five years younger than her actual age, finding herself alone at a Tokyo hotel after her photographer husband, played by Giovanni Ribisi, leaves her. She befriends a middle-aged movie star (Murray) who is filming a Whiskey commercial there, and they bond over their shared feelings of loneliness, even sharing a kiss in one scene. In the psychological thriller Match Point in 2005, she took on the role of a seductress at just 19 years old, starring alongside Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who was 27 at the time.

Emerging talent: Johansson rose to fame at the age of 17 by appearing in the romantic drama Lost in Translation, where she starred opposite Bill Murray who was 52 at the time (and is now 72). Despite being five years younger than her character, she held her own in the film alongside Murray. A still from the movie shows the two actors in a scene together.

After causing controversy with his remarks in his memoir, Woody Allen faced backlash for describing her as ‘sexually radioactive’. Despite this, she has continued to shine in various other films and is set to appear in the upcoming drama film, My Mother’s Wedding. This movie will mark the directorial debut of the talented actress Kristin Scott Thomas, who is renowned for her performances in acclaimed films like The English Patient alongside Ralph Fiennes and Four Weddings And A Funeral with Hugh Grant.

At a very young age, the actress starred as a seductive character in the 2005 thriller Match Point when she was only 19. She acted alongside Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who was 27 at the time. Here is a still image from Match Point.

Oh no! Director Woody Allen, 86, faced backlash when he controversially described her as ‘sexually charged’ in his book Apropos of Nothing; Seen in a photo from 2005.

The movie is adapted from Elizabeth Jane Howard’s 1959 novel, focusing on the well-known London playwright Emmanuel and his delicate wife Lillian. Lillian, who still mourns the loss of their daughter Sarah, has never fully moved on from the tragedy. Their tumultuous relationship takes an unexpected twist when they decide to visit a secluded Greek island. While it is rumored that Scarlett will take on the role of Lillian, official details about her character have not been released yet.

Up next on her plate! The stunning blonde actress is gearing up to take on a lead role in an upcoming full-length drama called “My Mother’s Wedding,” helmed by director Kristin Scott Thomas. The film is set to feature Johansson, as seen in a 2021 photo.