- Scarlett Johansson said that her political views should not impact her acting career.
- She told The Gentlewoman that it is “unfair” to expect actors to have a “public role in society”.
- The actress also said she “made a career out of” controversies and “will have opinions”.
- Visit the Insider home page for more stories.
Scarlett Johansson said recently that her personal beliefs should not interfere with her acting career, explaining that she never applied to be a politician.
“I don’t think actors have an obligation to have a public role in society,” the 36-year-old “Black Widow” star told The Gentlewoman in her spring and summer 2021 edition, calling it “unfair” to put expectations on those who don’t want to.
“You didn’t choose to be a politician, you are a actor, “she added.
According to Johansson, his job is to “reflect” life experiences, “to be a mirror” for the public and “to have an empathetic experience through art”. She said she feels most successful at her job when she connects with the public and makes them “feel something”.
“They have an emotional reaction to that – good, bad, uncomfortable, validating, whatever. That’s it my work. The other things are not my job, “she said.
Scarlett Johansson gave up playing a trans character in “Rub & Tug” after an intense reaction.
Andy Kropa / Invision / AP
Johansson said he “made a career” of the controversy
Despite her desire to keep her views separate from her work, the “Wedding Story” actress’s comments and actions have suffered reactions several times in recent years.
Many people accused her of money laundering, pointing to Major Kusanagi, an originally Asian character, who she played in the 2017 film “Ghost in the Shell”.
In an interview with Marie Claire that year, the actor said she “would never pretend to play another race of a person” or wanted to play a “character who was offensive”. Instead, she called it a “rare opportunity” to play a female lead.
Many individuals online were also upset when Johansson defended Woody Allen in 2019 amid accusations of sexual assault against him. Johansson and Allen have worked together on films such as “Scoop”, “Match Point” and “Vicky Cristina Barcelona”.
His decision in 2018 to accept a role as a transgender man in “Rub & Tug” also generated a strong reaction, with many calling him insensitive for a cisgender woman to take the role.
She initially released a statement directing critics to speak to other cisgender actors who have played transgender characters in films. Later, she gave up on the project, explaining that she “handled it badly” with the situation.
But in 2019, she told As If she “should be allowed to play anyone, or any tree, or any animal”, reviving the controversy surrounding her “Rub & Tug” cast.
After the question and answer session was launched, Johansson told Insider in a statement that the comment was “edited for click bait and is largely out of context”.
Scarlett Johansson starred in “Wedding Story”.
Stefania D’Alessandro / WireImage / Getty Images
In her recent conversation with The Gentlewoman, Johansson said she “made a career” of controversy, adding that she “will have opinions about things” as a result of who she is.
“Everyone has a hard time admitting when they’re wrong about things, and for all of this to go public, it can be embarrassing,” she explained, adding, “I’m also a person.”
Since the reaction, the Oscar-nominated star has said he is working to “recognize when it is not your turn to speak”.
“I can be reactive. I can be impatient,” she said. “It doesn’t go very well with self-awareness.”