Scarlett Johansson just laid bare a tough chapter of her career in a raw new interview with Vanity Fair. The Black Widow star opened up about how, after her breakout role in Sofia Coppola’s 2003 indie gem Lost in Translation, Hollywood kept shoving her into “sex object” roles for years. At just 17 during filming, Johansson found herself trapped in a cycle of playing “the girlfriend” or “the other woman,” struggling to break free from a label she never asked for. Here’s why her story packs a punch and what it tells us about Hollywood’s past—and present.
A Breakout That Boxed Her In
Lost in Translation put Johansson on the map. As Charlotte, a lost college grad connecting with a washed-up movie star (Bill Murray) in Tokyo, she nabbed a BAFTA Award for Best Actress and tons of praise. But instead of landing meaty, diverse roles, she got hit with a wave of offers that leaned hard into her looks. “After Lost in Translation, every role I was offered for years was ‘the girlfriend,’ ‘the other woman,’ a sex object—I couldn’t get out of the cycle,” Johansson told. “It felt like, ‘Oh, I guess this is who I am now as an actor.’”
At 17, transitioning from kid roles—she started acting at 8 in North (1994)—to adult ones, Johansson was figuring herself out. But Hollywood’s obsession with her appearance made her feel stuck. “You’re young, excited to be there, but then you realize the industry’s using you in a way that feels unfair,” she said. She didn’t call it exploitation outright but hinted it was close, like the system was banking on her youth and appeal without letting her show her full range.
Hollywood’s Old Playbook
Johansson didn’t just blame casting directors—she pointed out her team at the time didn’t push back either. “They were just going along with what was normal,” she told, noting that her agents saw those roles as par for the course for young actresses. Back in the early 2000s, Hollywood’s default was often casting women as eye candy, not complex characters. Johansson felt like she had little say, saying, “There wasn’t much I could do to change it.”
It wasn’t a one-off issue. Her role in Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003), a quiet, sensual drama, earned her a Golden Globe nod but fed into the same “bombshell” vibe. Later, working with Woody Allen on Match Point (2005) and Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), she was cast as the alluring femme fatale, with Allen himself calling her “sexually overwhelming.” Johansson’s since pushed back on that label, telling Vanity Fair it’s “confining” and doesn’t capture her as an actor.
Breaking the Mold
Despite the grind, Johansson kept at it. “I’m proud of how I handled myself,” she said of those early days. “I just put my head down and worked.” That hustle paid off with roles in The Prestige (2006), Her (2013), and Under the Skin (2013), proving she could tackle layered, non-stereotypical characters. By 2020, she was pulling double Oscar nods for Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit. Now 40, she’s producing through her company, These Pictures and starring in Jurassic World: Rebirth in 2025, showing she’s way more than a pretty face.
Her story’s bigger than just her—it’s a peek into an industry that’s long leaned on women’s looks over their talent. Stars like Natalie Portman and Margot Robbie have echoed similar struggles, but Johansson sees light at the end of the tunnel. “Things are changing, slowly, but it’s better than before,” she told, pointing to more varied roles for women today.
A Rough Set and a Changed Co-Star
Johansson also got honest about filming Lost in Translation with Bill Murray. At 52, Murray was in a “hard place,” making the set tense. “Everyone was tiptoeing around him,” she told, including director Sofia Coppola and the crew. It was a lot for a 17-year-old in her first big role. But when they crossed paths at SNL’s 50th anniversary this year, she saw a softer side. “Life’s humbled him,” she said, noting Murray’s growth after incidents like the 2022 Being Mortal shutdown over his behavior. “It’s nice to see people can evolve.”
Why This Hits Home
Johansson’s story isn’t just about one actor—it’s about a system that tried to define her before she could define herself. At 17, she was pushed into a box that didn’t fit, yet she clawed her way out to become a powerhouse. It’s a wake-up call about how Hollywood treated young women and a reminder that change, while slow, is happening. Her honesty makes you root for her even more.
