Scarlett Johansson
The Life and Films

Despite her prominence as an actress in film and on stage, fashionista, social activist, and the "sexiest woman in the world," Scarlett Johansson has kept most of her private life hidden. Her work ethic has been second to none since her film debut in North (1994) at age 10. Until 2003, when Lost in Translation brought kudos and launched her adult career, she was deemed an exponent of independent films. After that success, while she never abandoned indies, Johansson became a leading lady in very big films, including eight outings as former Russian assassin Black Widow thwarting alien incursions in The Avengers and other films in the Marvel Universe. -- -- From childhood to her 2019 Academy Award nominations for Jojo Rabbit and Marriage Story, this book surveys Johansson's life and films. Each film entry includes a brief plot synopsis, followed by extracts from contemporary reviews, behind-the-scenes information, and the author's analysis of the film within the overall trajectory of Johansson's career. Three common threads are looked at in-depth: the three Woody Allen collaborations, Johansson's role as Black Widow within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and her oeuvre of films in which she becomes "the other.