Scarlett Johansson is undoubtedly one of her generation’s most successful actresses. Johansson’s acting career began when she was nine years old, playing John Ritter’s daughter in the fictional comedy North (1994). There has been no looking back since, and her career has ranged from Oscar nominations to blockbuster success to silly comedies.
Johansson’s breakthrough role was as a skeptical outcast adolescent in Terry Zwigoff’s dark comedy Ghost World (2001). The film helped her gain widespread recognition, and she gradually moved into more mature roles. She made her debut when she was 17 in the rom-com, Lost in Translation. Despite being one of her debut mature roles, her performance wowed both the audience and critics, propelling her to stardom.
However, before joining the MCU, Johansson had already established herself as one of the greatest female talents in Hollywood. So we’ve compiled a list of 7 incredible films from Johansson’s filmography that you may have missed. They range from dramas to rom-coms to hard sci-fi, but all have one thing in common: excellent Scarlett Johansson performances.
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Avengers Endgame
The conclusion of Natasha Romanoff’s story came nearly a decade later in Avengers: Endgame.
Johansson gave her best performance as Black Widow yet, demonstrating what the previous film’s loss meant for her character. She also makes a significant sacrifice, sharing her life so that her buddy Hawkeye can reunite with his family and billions of peoplecan be returned from the Blip.
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Avengers Assemble (2012) & Avengers Infinity War
Scarlett Johansson was the only female superhero in 2012’s Avengers, compared to five alpha males. The actor is glad that studio executives brought more inclusivity and diversity into the Marvel Cinematic Universe six years later.
Until now, the 33-year-old actor has played the superhero Black Widow aka Natasha Romanoff, in five MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) films. Her character debuted in Iron Man 2 and appeared in Avengers: Infinity War next.
Johansson stated that she has advocated for more female presence and diversification in the franchise and is pleased that audiences are beginning to embrace diverse characters.
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Captain America: The winter soldier
Despite her iconic roles, Scarlett Johansson’s most famous character in the MCU is undoubtedly Natasha Romanoff. She debuted in the position in Iron Man 2 in 2010 and reprised it in The Avengers in 2012, but Captain America: The Winter Soldier was her breakout performance.
Even though it is a Captain America film, Natasha is the second lead, always by Steve’s side. This solidified the friendship between the two characters, which would last the rest of their time in the franchise.
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Lost in Translation
In Tokyo, a lonely, ageing movie star named Bob Harris (Bill Murray) meets a conflicted newlywed named Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson). Bob is in town to film a Japanese whiskey commercial, and Charlotte is there with her celebrity photographer husband. After a chance meeting in the dull lobby of a hotel bar, the two strangers in a foreign land figure out an escape, distraction, and understanding amidst the bright Tokyo lights. They form an unlikely bond that is also heartfelt and meaningful.
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Isle of Dogs
Scarlett Johansson has collaborated with Bill Murray on a few films, including Isle of Dogs. Wes Anderson’s stop-motion animated film depicts a boy trying to search for his dog after the species was shifted to a trash island due to a disease.
The movie was a critical darling, achieving an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature. Nutmeg, a show dog and the love interest of Chief (Bryan Cranston), the main dog in the story, is voiced by Johansson.
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Girl with a pearl earring
The Girl with a Pearl Earring, widely regarded as one of Johansson’s best films, is based on a novel inspired by the conception of a real-life painting of the same title. Griet is a young 17th-century maid in the household of Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer (Colin Firth). He decided to paint Girl with a Pearl Earring (1665) in a Dutch city named Delft.
Critics then praised her performance and how she properly balanced the emotions of fear, ignorance, curiosity, and lust. The movie was nominated for 3 Academy Awards, ten British Academy Film Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards, and Johansson was nominated for both a BAFTA and a Golden Globe.
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HER
Scarlett Johansson’s voice acting abilities are severely underappreciated, as previously stated, but her best work in that field likely came in the movie Her. The plot revolves around an introverted man (Joaquin Phoenix) in love with his operating system, Samantha (voiced by Johansson).
This Best Original Screenplay winner was well-received by critics, and audiences can still find it on streaming services. Many people praised Johansson for bringing Samantha to life and displaying various emotions even though she is not a human character.
Scarlett Johansson’s roles are much appreciated as recent as Marriage story, Jojo rabbit, The prestige and much more.
