Scarlett Johansson is nominated once again for an Academy Award, but the actress isn’t totally happy with her industry. She’s expressed some frustrations with the way Hollywood and the media works. From her identity to the roles she plays, these are the major complaints from the actress.
Scarlett Johansson does not like “ScarJo”
Johansson is one of the many celebrities that have been given some sort of a nickname by the media. Jennifer Lawrence is commonly referred to as “JLaw.” Christina Aguilera has been dubbed “Xtina.” Jennifer Lopez, of course, is repeatedly called “J.Lo” Johansson, meanwhile, has been given the nickname “ScarJo.” However, the actress seems to hate that name. The Avengers star surprisingly revealed that when it comes to the moniker, she finds it to be “lazy” and “insulting.”
“I associate that name with, like, pop stars,” the actress shared during a 2014 interview with Glamour. “It sounds tacky. It’s lazy and flippant. And there’s something kind of violent about it. There’s something insulting about it.”
Her nickname isn’t the only label she dislikes
The actress also shared that she is very uncomfortable being labeled a “young” or “sexy” actress since she’s been acting for over a decade. “When I made Lost in Translation, I was 17, and now I’m 29 … I think I’ve been ‘in my early twenties’ for, like, over a decade!” the actress stated.
“That’s a normal side effect of being a young actor,” she continued. “You’re captured at a certain time of your life, and it’s hard for people to move past that.” Lost in Translation was arguably Johansson’s breakout role, so it makes sense for her to be frustrated with her inability to escape the role.
Scarlett Johansson wants to play whatever role she wants
In addition to dealing with the media’s perception of her, the actress has also had to grapple with the public. Johansson received significant backlash for her work on the film Ghost in the Shell. The actress was criticized for “whitewashing” when she played Major Mira Killian/Motoko Kusanagi, who was based on the original Japanese character.
The actress faced further scrutiny when she was tied to the film Rub & Tug. Johansson was slated to portray Dante “Tex” Grill, a transgender man. The backlash the actress received became so overwhelming that she decided to drop out of the film.
In response, Johansson stated that she was frustrated with the “political correctness” in modern casting. “You know, as an actor I should be allowed to play any person, or any tree, or any animal because that is my job and the requirements of my job,” the actress said.
The actress is targeted by tabloids, too
The tabloid media hasn’t been kind to Johansson either. Earlier this month, Gossip Cop busted a story that Johansson was refusing to set a date for her wedding to Colin Jost. An alleged source claimed that the actress was getting “cold feet” due to her prior marriage failing and out of concern for her daughter.
This was proven to be untrue, as the actress shared on Ellen DeGeneres’ show that she has to first clear her schedule for the wedding but otherwise gushed about her fiance. The story was completely fictional.