Scarlett Johansson Opens Up About Being Objectified and Stereotyped in Early Acting Career

During the initial stages of her acting career in Hollywood, Scarlett Johansson felt that she was being categorized and objectified based on her sexuality, which made her feel uncomfortable. She described this experience as being “hypersexualized” and “pigeonholed,” suggesting that she was being unfairly judged and typecast solely based on her physical appearance and perceived sex appeal.

During an appearance on Dax Shepard’s podcast, Armchair Expert, the star of Black Widow, aged 37, opened up about how she felt like she was being seen as older than her actual age within the industry. This perception lead to her being overlooked for roles that she truly wanted. Scarlett Johansson explained that she felt like she had been objectified and categorised in a way that hindered her from achieving her desired career path. The actress revealed that she had even thought to herself that people might assume she was already 40 years old.

Reflecting on her career: Scarlett Johansson described feeling 'hypersexualized' and 'pigeonholed' in the early stages of her acting career in Hollywood; Pictured 2020

Scarlett Johansson recently reflected on her early acting career in Hollywood, admitting to feeling both ‘pigeonholed’ and ‘hypersexualized’. According to the actress, people assumed she had been in the industry for a long time, leading to her being typecast into roles that relied heavily on her sex appeal. She recalled feeling scared at the time, wondering if this was all there was to her career. However, Johansson also acknowledged that times are changing in the industry, and progress is being made towards greater diversity and representation.

Objectified: 'I kind of became objectified and pigeonholed in this way where I felt like I wasnยฟt getting offers for work for things that I wanted to do,' the actress, 37, shared; Pictured 2006

The actress, Scarlett Johansson, shared in an interview that she felt objectified and limited in her career choices due to being pigeonholed. She expressed that younger actors in their 20s seem to have more freedom to explore different roles. However, Johansson acknowledged that times have changed and actors are no longer restricted to certain types of roles. Johansson began acting as a child and rose to fame at 17 years old with her role in Lost in Translation, which earned her a BAFTA Award for Best Actress.

Hypersexualized: 'Because I think everybody thought I was older and that I'd been [acting] for a long time, I got kind of pigeonholed into this weird hypersexualized thing,' the beauty remarked; Pictured 2004

According to Johansson, due to her youthful appearance and the assumption that she had been acting for a long time, she was often typecast as a hypersexualized character. This was evident in her role as a young wife in Tokyo who is left alone by her husband, played by Giovanni Ribisi, five years her senior. In the movie, she befriends an older movie star, played by Murray, and they share a kiss. She also played the role of a seductress in Match Point, a psychological thriller, when she was only 19 and starred alongside 27-year-old Jonathan Rhys Meyers.

Young star: Johansson came to prominence when she was 17, starring alongside Bill Murray (then 52, now 72) in a romantic drama titled Lost in Translation. She was five years younger than her character's age; Pictured with Murray in a still

Johansson first rose to fame at the age of 17 when she starred alongside Bill Murray in the romantic drama Lost in Translation. Despite being five years younger than her character, she delivered an impressive performance that caught the attention of audiences and critics alike. However, controversy arose when the film’s director, Woody Allen, referred to her as “sexually radioactive” in his memoir Apropos of Nothing. Despite this, Johansson went on to star in numerous other notable films and is set to appear in a new drama called My Mother’s Wedding, which will mark the directorial debut of Oscar-nominated actress Kristin Scott Thomas. Known for her critically acclaimed performances in films like The English Patient and Four Weddings and a Funeral, Thomas is sure to bring a fresh perspective to this upcoming project.

Very young: The beauty then went on to play a seductress in the 2005 thriller Match Point, when she was just 19, starring alongside Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who was 27 at the time; Pictured in a still from Match Point

At a tender age, the stunning actress took on the role of a temptress in the thrilling movie Match Point back in 2005. She was only 19 years old then and acted alongside Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who was 27 years old at that time. A still from the movie showcases her talent as a seductress.

Yikes! The film's controversial director, Woody Allen, 86, later caught flack after he referred to her as 'sexually radioactive' in his memoir Apropos of Nothing; Pictured in 2005

Oh no! Woody Allen, the film’s director who is known for his controversial reputation, faced criticism when he called one of the actresses “sexually radioactive” in his book Apropos of Nothing. The movie itself is adapted from Elizabeth Jane Howard’s 1959 novel and revolves around Emmanuel, a well-known playwright in London, and his wife Lillian who struggles with the loss of their daughter Sarah.

Match Point | via Facebook on We Heart It | Match point movie, Match point  film, Match point

The couple’s troubled relationship takes an unexpected twist as they venture to a secluded island in Greece. Scarlett is rumored to portray the character of Lillian, although no specifics about her part have been confirmed.

Next up! The blonde bombshell is next set to star in a new feature length drama titled, My Mother's Wedding directed by Kristin Scott Thomas; Johansson pictured in 2021

Coming soon! The stunning blonde actress is scheduled to take on a lead role in an upcoming feature film called “My Mother’s Wedding,” directed by Kristin Scott Thomas. Scarlett Johansson was photographed in 2021, looking beautiful and ready to dive into this exciting project.

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