Scarlett Johansson / Black Widow
Scarlett Johansson thrives on being a fiercely independent woman. Outspoken and irrepressible, the native New Yorker has always maintained an uncompromising attitude towards life. Against all odds, she reinvented her career by turning herself into an action star in films like The Avengers and Luc Besson’s sci-fi thriller, Lucy. Meanwhile, she’s continued to impress critics and audiences alike with recent Oscar-nominated turns in Marriage Story and JoJo Rabbit.
Now she’s expanding her blockbuster horizons in BLACK WIDOW, her first solo outing in the role she first made famous in the Iron Man 2 and subsequently in various instalments of The Avengers franchise. In the guise of Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a Black Widow, Johansson has gained an international following as a female superhero who kicks ass while strutting around in a sexy, body-hugging latex suit. Getting to do a standalone Black Widow film is a milestone in her career.
“It’s a dream come true,” Johansson says. “I could never imagine ten years ago that I would one day be making my own standalone Black Widow film…There’s a lot of fight scenes in it, and I remember the producers saying while we were making it that they didn’t think that we had ever done this much fighting [in a Marvel film].”
Indeed, the acclaimed actress recalled how it was a major career move for her to move into the Marvel Comics Universe after forging a career in films including Lost in Translation and Match Point.
“People were surprised that I wanted to play a comic book heroine,” Johansson recalled about her foray into action films. “But I loved Iron Man, and I met with Marvel to see what was possible. I had done my research, and the Black Widow character resonated with me. She is dark and has faced death so many times that she has a deep perspective on the value of life. In the sequel, you learn more about the sadness in her past…Black Widow is a superhero, but she’s also human. She’s small, but she’s strong. It’s hard not to admire her. She packs a big punch.”