Most – if not all – Hollywood actresses would admit they need to have thick skin to survive in the industry. Even one of the most beautiful stars in the world, who has topped countless best-dressed and most-beautiful lists over the past few decades, like Scarlett Johansson.
The 41-year-old Oscar-nominated actress opened up on CBS Sunday Morning on April 12th about just how “harsh” the industry has been over the years – particularly when it came to scrutiny over her looks in her twenties. Keep reading to find out what she said…
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Scarlett Johansson Recalls How 'Tough' Things Were For Hollywood Actresses 20 Years Ago
The Eleanor the Great director noted that actresses today may have it slightly better than she did two decades ago – both in terms of the roles being offered and how women are treated and perceived. She recalled some of the harsher experiences she faced early in her career, which included roles in Lost in Translation, Ghost World, Girl with a Pearl Earring, and In Good Company.
"Growing up in the entertainment industry and then...being a 20-year-old woman in the early 2000s, in the spotlight, I think in general, it was a really harsh time. I think women were just pulled apart for how they looked in a way that was socially acceptable at the time and it was tough," the Jurassic World Rebirth actress said.
"There was a lot placed on how women looked and what was offered at that time for women my age as far as acting roles or opportunities. It was much slimmer than it is now," Johansson, who is one of the highest-grossing female lead actors ever, continued.
Scarlett Johansson Says She Was Often Typecast As 'The Other Woman' Or 'Side Piece'
As iconic as some of her early roles were, the Fly Me to the Moon actress and The Outset founder revealed that she was frequently offered a very specific type of part…
"You would get really pigeonholed and offered the same [roles.] It would be like the other woman, or the side piece, the bombshell. That was the archetype that was prevalent when I was that age," she recalled.
In contrast, the Black Widow star pointed out that there are now "much more empowering" roles available for actresses than there were when she was in her twenties, adding that she made deliberate career choices to get "out of that pattern."
The Asteroid City actress said: "That was an archetype that there was just a lot of when I was that age. It was kind of tricky to navigate around that because there was a lot more that I wanted to do, and I found that doing theater in New York was a great way to work different muscles and get out of that pattern."
And she has clearly broken free from that mold. Her directorial debut has already premiered to rave reviews, and she has a packed slate ahead. She is set to appear in Paper Tiger alongside Marriage Story co-star Adam Driver and Miles Teller, as well as in Mike Flanagan's reimagining of The Exorcist. We can't wait!
