Scarlett Johansson on overcoming male gaze roles highlights a notable shift in the film industry, as the actress reflects on the changes she has experienced during her years in Hollywood. Speaking in recent interviews, Johansson shares how female characters and opportunities have evolved for women in film, with more multidimensional roles now available.
Changes in Female Representation Over the Years
Scarlett Johansson began her acting career at a young age and recalls a period when roles for women were significantly limited and often shaped by a male perspective. She told The Times of London,
“You know, it’s a different time for young women,”
—Scarlett Johansson, Actor. She continued,
“The messaging is different — there are many more role models, women are visible in powerful positions and the opportunities I have had to play women who don’t have to just be one thing or another have increased.”
—Scarlett Johansson, Actor.
Reflecting on the scripts she received early in her career, Johansson explained that many centered on female characters as objects of desire or as accessories to male-driven stories. She noted,
“When I was younger, a lot of the roles I was offered, or I went for, had their ambitions or character arcs revolving around their own desirability, or the male gaze, or a male-centred story,”
—Scarlett Johansson, Actor. She observed that such occurrences have become less common:
“That is less frequent, though — something has shifted.”
—Scarlett Johansson, Actor.
Moving Beyond Typecast Roles
The journey to more meaningful roles did not happen overnight for Johansson. She described a period of patience as she waited for roles less focused on her appearance, stating,
“I had to become comfortable with the idea that it could take some time. Which is hard when you’re a young actor, but at that time I didn’t have any children.”
—Scarlett Johansson, Actor.
Johansson now shares her life with her two children, daughter Rose, whom she had with ex-husband Romain Dauriac, and son Cosmo, with her husband Colin Jost. Recently, she mentioned plans to let Rose watch her latest movie, Jurassic World Rebirth, despite it reportedly being the scariest in the franchise. At the film’s premiere, she reassured:
“It’s still appropriate for the family,”
—Scarlett Johansson, Actor. She added,
“You just gotta watch it through the crack in your fingers.”
—Scarlett Johansson, Actor.
Early Career and the Challenge of Stereotyping
Throughout her career, Johansson has addressed how she was typecast for her looks, particularly during her adolescence. In a previous interview, she revealed,
“I was coming into my own womanhood and learning my own desirability and sexuality,”
—Scarlett Johansson, Actor. She recounted her experiences on the podcast
“Table for Two With Bruce Bozzi”
:
“I was playing the other woman and the object of desire and I suddenly found myself cornered in this place. I couldn’t get out of it.”
—Scarlett Johansson, Actor.
In another candid discussion on Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” podcast, Johansson shared how this typecasting impacted her confidence and career trajectory:
“I kind of became objectified and pigeonholed in this way where I felt like I wasn’t getting offers for work for things that I wanted to do,”
—Scarlett Johansson, Actor. She continued,
“I remember thinking to myself, ‘I think people think I’m 40 years old.’ It somehow stopped being something that was desirable and something that I was fighting against.”
—Scarlett Johansson, Actor.
The Significance of Industry Change
The experiences of Scarlett Johansson, who has received two Oscar nominations and played memorable roles in both indie films and blockbusters, reflect challenges faced by many women in Hollywood. By sharing her story in interviews with The Times of London, E! News, and on the podcasts
“Table for Two With Bruce Bozzi”
and “Armchair Expert,” she brings attention to a broader industry shift toward offering more nuanced and empowering roles for women.
As Johansson continues her career, the changes she describes may inspire further transformations in casting and storytelling. Future generations, including her own children, could benefit from a more inclusive and representative film industry, moving further from roles confined by the male gaze and offering a range of possibilities for women and girls in Hollywood.
