Scarlett Johansson, the celebrated Hollywood actress, recently shared her disheartening experience of losing out on significant roles to Emily Blunt and Sandra Bullock, which led her to contemplate her acting career’s future.
Johansson, 38, revealed to Variety that she felt disheartened after being passed over for roles in the 2010 Marvel hit “Iron Man 2” and Alfonso Cuarón’s 2013 sci-fi movie “Gravity.” She confessed that the rejection of these desired parts led her to question her professional path.
The New York-born actress also expressed frustration over the typecasting she experienced following her acclaimed performance in “Lost in Translation” in 2010.
Despite earning a Golden Globe nomination and a BAFTA win for best actress, Johansson felt she was stuck in the “bombshell” mold, which was challenging.
In a surprising twist, however, Blunt had to withdraw from “Iron Man 2” due to a conflicting schedule with the film “Gulliver’s Travels.”
This change of events paved the way for Johansson to step into the role of the Russian spy-turned-Avenger, Natasha Romanov/Black Widow, setting the stage for her character’s future development in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
This unexpected opportunity led to a significant shift in Johansson’s career. After concluding “Iron Man 2,” she took to the Broadway stage in a revival of Arthur Miller’s “A View From the Bridge,” earning a Tony Award for her performance.
Her roles in the 2013 films “Under The Skin” and “Her” rekindled her passion for acting, alleviating her earlier anxieties.
Johansson’s portrayal of Black Widow continued in eight MCU films, and despite her character’s demise in “Avengers: Endgame,” she reprised the role in the 2021 prequel “Black Widow.”
Johansson’s diverse portfolio includes an Oscar-nominated performance in the divorce drama “Marriage Story” and a supporting role in “Jojo Rabbit.”
Despite the global fame she achieved through the “Avengers” franchise, Johansson told former MCU co-star Gwyneth Paltrow on “The Goop Podcast” that she has no plans to return to the role, stating, “I’m done.” She felt her decade-long journey in the MCU had come to a satisfactory conclusion.
