Scarlett Johansson (Part 3)

In 2014, Scarlett Johansson continued her role as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) by appearing in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." This time, she joined forces with Captain America and Falcon to uncover a conspiracy within S.H.I.E.L.D. The film was both a critical and commercial success, with Johansson's performance earning praise for its emotional depth and complexity.


Aside from her superhero role, Johansson also took on supporting roles in other films. She appeared in "Chef" alongside Robert Downey Jr., Sofía Vergara, and Jon Favreau, grossing over $45 million at the box office and receiving positive reviews from critics. Additionally, she starred as the titular character in Luc Besson's "Lucy," a science fiction action film where she gains psychokinetic abilities. Despite some criticism of the plot, Johansson's performance was widely praised, and the film became a box office success, grossing over $458 million worldwide.


In 2015 and 2016, Johansson reprised her role as Black Widow in "Avengers: Age of Ultron" and "Captain America: Civil War," both of which were massive commercial successes, grossing over $1.1 billion each. Johansson's performances in these films earned her nominations for various awards, including the Critics' Choice Movie Award and the Saturn Award.


Outside of the MCU, Johansson appeared in the Coen brothers' comedy film "Hail, Caesar!" and lent her voice to characters in Jon Favreau's live-action adaptation of "The Jungle Book" and the animated musical comedy "Sing." She also narrated an audiobook of Lewis Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."


Overall, these years saw Johansson continuing to establish herself as a versatile and talented actress, both in blockbuster superhero films and in a variety of other genres.


In 2017, Scarlett Johansson portrayed Motoko Kusanagi in Rupert Sanders's adaptation of the Ghost in the Shell franchise. Despite receiving praise for its visual style and Johansson's performance, the film faced controversy for whitewashing the cast, particularly Johansson's character, who was originally Japanese. Johansson defended her role, stating her intention to star in a female-led franchise but asserted she would not play a non-white character in the future. The film grossed $169.8 million worldwide.


That same year, Johansson hosted Saturday Night Live for the fifth time, joining the show's prestigious Five-Timers Club. She also starred in the comedy Rough Night, playing Jess Thayer, one of five friends whose bachelorette party takes a dark turn. The film received mixed reviews and moderate box office returns.


In 2018, Johansson voiced the character Nutmeg in Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs and reprised her role as Black Widow in Avengers: Infinity War. She faced backlash for her involvement in Rub & Tug, a biographical film in which she was set to play a transgender man. Johansson ultimately withdrew from the project due to criticism over the casting decision.


2019 saw Johansson reprise her role as Black Widow in Avengers: Endgame, the highest-grossing film of all time. She also starred in Marriage Story, a Netflix film directed by Noah Baumbach, portraying one half of a couple going through a divorce. Johansson's performance was lauded by critics, earning her Academy Award, BAFTA, and Golden Globe nominations for Best Actress. Additionally, she appeared in Taika Waititi's satire Jojo Rabbit as a mother who shelters a Jewish girl in Nazi Germany. Johansson received dual Academy Award nominations for her roles in Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit, making her the twelfth performer to achieve this feat in the same year.


In 2021, Scarlett Johansson returned to the screen with her solo prequel film, "Black Widow," in which she reprised her role as the titular character and served as an executive producer. The movie, also starring Florence Pugh, explores Black Widow's past and her journey after the events of "Captain America: Civil War." Johansson viewed the film as an opportunity to showcase her character's independence and vulnerability. Critics praised Johansson and Pugh's performances, with many considering the film a stellar vehicle for Johansson's portrayal of Black Widow. She won The Female Movie Star of 2021 at the 47th People's Choice Awards for her role in the film. Additionally, Johansson voiced the character Ash in the sequel "Sing 2."


In July 2021, Johansson filed a lawsuit against Disney, alleging that the simultaneous release of "Black Widow" on Disney+ breached her contract, which stipulated an exclusive theatrical release. Disney responded by stating that Johansson had already received substantial compensation for the film and that the Disney+ release would only result in additional compensation for her. The lawsuit was later settled in September, with the terms undisclosed, but reports suggested Johansson received a payout of over $40 million.


Johansson continued her screen presence with Wes Anderson's comedy "Asteroid City" in 2023, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. Despite taking a substantial pay cut for her role, Johansson received praise for her performance, with critics highlighting her ability to add depth to her character. She also appeared in Kristin Scott Thomas's directorial debut "North Star," playing one of three sisters reuniting for their mother's wedding.


Upcoming projects for Johansson include starring in "Project Artemis," a space race film for Apple TV+, opposite Channing Tatum, and providing a voice role in "Transformers One," a prequel to the Transformers film series. Johansson continues to be a prominent figure in both film and television.


Scarlett Johansson's musical endeavors have been diverse and spanned several genres. In 2006, she showcased her singing talent by recording the track "Summertime" for Unexpected Dreams – Songs from the Stars, a collection of songs by Hollywood actors. She further displayed her musical abilities by performing with the Jesus and Mary Chain at the Coachella reunion show in 2007.


Continuing her foray into music, Johansson released her debut album, Anywhere I Lay My Head, in May 2008. The album featured cover versions of Tom Waits songs, with contributions from David Bowie and members of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Celebration. Reviews of the album were mixed, but some critics praised Johansson's unique interpretation of Waits' music.
In 2009, Johansson collaborated with singer-songwriter Pete Yorn on the album Break Up, drawing inspiration from Serge Gainsbourg's duets with Brigitte Bardot. The album reached number 41 on the US charts. Additionally, Johansson contributed to Steel Train's Terrible Thrills Vol. 1 album in 2010, singing "Bullet."


Her musical contributions extended to soundtracks as well, with performances on tracks for various films. She sang "One Whole Hour" for the soundtrack of the documentary Wretches & Jabberers in 2011 and contributed to the end credits of the climate documentary Chasing Ice in 2012 with the song "Before My Time."


In 2015, Johansson formed a band called the Singles with Este Haim, Holly Miranda, Kendra Morris, and Julia Haltigan. Their first single, "Candy," was released that year. However, they faced a legal challenge over the band's name from another group with the same name.
Continuing her involvement in soundtracks, Johansson contributed to The Jungle Book soundtrack in 2016 with the song "Trust in Me" and to the Sing: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack with "Set It All Free" and "I Don't Wanna." She reunited with Pete Yorn for an EP titled Apart, released in 2018, further showcasing her musical versatility and collaborations within the industry.

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