Scarlett Johansson’s marriage and divorce journey reveals a storied path through three unions, marked by personal growth, lessons learned, and the search for lasting love. Over the years, the Hollywood star’s experiences with Ryan Reynolds, Romain Dauriac, and now Colin Jost have shaped her outlook on relationships, making her current marriage feel uniquely grounded compared to her past.
Tracing Scarlett Johansson’s Path Through Three Marriages
Though Scarlett Johansson remains one of Hollywood’s most private A-listers, her love life has drawn significant public attention. Her three marriages, first to actor Ryan Reynolds, then to French journalist Romain Dauriac, and finally to comedian and writer Colin Jost, show a trajectory marked by career highs, personal vulnerability, and evolving expectations in love and partnership. Each relationship brought different challenges, motivations, and ultimately, endings—except her current marriage, which seems to offer new hope.
Johansson’s openness to love found expression each time her life intersected with a new partner. From Ryan Reynolds, celebrated for roles such as Deadpool, to the intellectually stimulating Romain Dauriac, and now Colin Jost from Saturday Night Live, her romantic saga weaves together themes of compatibility, ambition, and the cost of navigating relationships under the glare of fame.
While rumors and unexpected moments—like her headline-making kiss with Jurassic World: Rebirth co-star Jonathan Bailey—occasionally raise eyebrows, Johansson’s heart, she says, is firmly rooted at home with Colin Jost and their son.
From Ryan Reynolds to a Quiet Split: Her First Marriage
Scarlett Johansson’s first high-profile marriage was to actor Ryan Reynolds. The two began dating just after Reynolds ended his engagement to Alanis Morissette in early 2007. Their courtship moved quickly, resulting in a secret wedding in September 2008 that was notably low-key, taking place without media frenzy or fanfare.
Despite initial hopes, their partnership struggled with time apart and the pressures of their demanding professions. Johansson openly reflected:
We work and then go home and — I, anyway — just stare at the wall for a few hours before I go to sleep. Like in any profession, it’s difficult. You want to make sure you have time to invest in your family. It’s a challenge, but it’s worth it.
The reality of two major careers kept them from spending quality time together. As months turned into years, strain began to erode the relationship’s foundation. By 2010, they had separated, finalizing their divorce the following July.
Understanding the Breakdown with Ryan Reynolds
Examining the reasons behind her breakup with Reynolds, Johansson later shared thoughtful insights into the complexities of balancing two acting careers. She remarked on the unique difficulties faced by celebrity couples, where high-profile work takes relentless precedence and schedules rarely align.
The logistics of being with another actor are challenging. There has to be a real understanding of how you share your time, especially when two people’s careers are going at the same rate. Or even if one person is more successful than the other, that also proves challenging. There may be a competitive thing.
With both pursuing demanding film projects, the couple found it tough to prioritize their personal connection. Johansson admitted years later that she lacked the deeper commitment needed to make the marriage thrive:
I wasn’t prepared to hunker down and do the work,
Meanwhile, Ryan Reynolds publicly acknowledged his comfort with being single after their separation:
I’m very happy not to be in a relationship right now. That’s okay. I didn’t plan on it, that’s for sure but that’s okay.
The two went their separate ways, each later finding new love—Reynolds with Blake Lively and Johansson again searching for connection and understanding.
Embracing Intellect and Parenthood: Her Second Marriage to Romain Dauriac
Johansson entered her second marriage with Romain Dauriac, a French journalist, after their connection blossomed away from the red carpets and celebrity crowds. By August 2014, their daughter was born, and within two months, they quietly wed in an understated ceremony.
Johansson frequently praised Dauriac’s intellect as a core component of their relationship’s attraction. As she candidly explained:
He’s the smartest person I know. I was attracted to the way that he thinks, his sense of irony, how he looks at things.
The couple shared a period of partnership shaped by curiosity, wit, and the challenge of building a family together. However, by the summer of 2016, they had separated, and Johansson filed for divorce in early 2017.
The Private End of Scarlett Johansson and Romain Dauriac’s Relationship
Unlike her earlier, more public split, this breakup was handled discreetly, with Johansson prioritizing the well-being of their child and family privacy. She described the marriage as “irretrievably broken” in legal filings and released only a brief, personal statement:
As a devoted mother and private person and with complete awareness that my daughter will one day be old enough to read the news about herself, I would only like to say that I will never, ever be commenting on the dissolution of my marriage.
No further details were aired in interviews or legal proceedings, reflecting Johansson’s commitment to keeping their family matters out of the public discourse. Her restraint showed a maturing approach to handling painful transitions, building boundaries even in the midst of public scrutiny.
Colin Jost and a New Chapter: What Changes the Story
Johansson’s third and current marriage to Colin Jost marks a notable departure from her earlier experiences. The pair first stepped out together publicly at the American Museum of Natural History Gala in 2017, introducing their relationship more gently to the world. After Jost’s proposal in 2019, Johansson spoke emotionally about finding love through shared experience and mutual respect. While hosting SNL, she said:
This place means so much to me. I have so many friends here, and I met the love of my life here,
Their 2020 wedding was an intimate affair at their home in Palisades, New York, and instead of a media blitz, they announced the news through Meals on Wheels America, underscoring their mutual support for meaningful causes over personal spectacle.
In 2021, the couple welcomed their son, further grounding their union. Johansson, appearing on The Drew Barrymore Show the following year, shared a quiet but powerful insight into what makes her current partnership work:
Just feeling seen by somebody else … just to be seen is what it’s all about.
This sense of being truly understood and appreciated stands in contrast to the complexities of her prior relationships. Where previous marriages may have stumbled under conflicting professional demands or public scrutiny, her bond with Jost appears calm and centered—a dynamic rooted in shared values and a balance between career and home life.
What Scarlett Johansson’s Relationship Evolution Reveals
Looking at Scarlett Johansson’s marriage and divorce journey, it becomes clear that time, self-reflection, and changing priorities have influenced her approach to love. Her initial union with Ryan Reynolds was shaped by ambition and the stress of dual celebrity, resulting in misunderstandings and unfulfilled expectations. Her marriage to Romain Dauriac offered an intellectual partnership and the joy of parenthood, but ultimately they parted ways for reasons Johansson chose not to make public.
Now, with Colin Jost, Johansson’s life appears more stable. Their relationship’s foundation is not grand gestures or public attention, but a steady companionship that values privacy, support, and authenticity. The presence of their son and the quiet ways they’ve marked milestones signal a different, perhaps more sustainable form of love—one Johansson herself has said feels deeply grounding.
Whether this third act will last remains to be seen, but observers and fans alike note a visible transformation. As she continues to balance an accomplished career in Hollywood with her identity as a mother and partner, Scarlett Johansson’s journey reflects the complexities many face in personal relationships. Her growth through two divorces and into a seemingly harmonious marriage with Colin Jost underscores the evolving nature of love—and the hope that, for some, the third time may indeed be the charm.
