Scarlett Johansson is certainly one of the most accomplished A-list actresses in the industry with several hits and accolades throughout her career. The actress has balanced her films with the right amount of franchise blockbusters and character-driven dramas that have shown her versatility as an actor. After doing big Marvel films, she makes sure to do dramas like Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit.
The latter was a collaborative effort involving her and fellow Marvel star Taika Waititi who is also a talented filmmaker. The director encountered a creative standstill during one of the scenes while the crew and actors were waiting for the shot. However, instead of getting restless and complaining, Johansson’s class act won the respect of the director.
Scarlett Johansson Proved To Be The Perfect Creative Partner For Taika Waititi on Jojo Rabbit
Scarlett Johansson played a supporting role in Taika Waititi‘s 2019 war comedy-drama Jojo Rabbit. The film is a delightfully satirized story of a young German boy who idolizes Hitler and his ideals. However, he starts questioning his beliefs when he discovers that his mother, played by Johansson is hiding a Jewish woman in their house.
Director Waititi had envisioned a hilarious take on Nazi Germany, ridiculing various ideas and traditions of that era. Johansson’s role was the symbol of protest and Waititi’s voice in the film. However, during one of the scenes, the director struggled with the dialogue and was hard at work reworking the script.
With Johansson being a high-profile actress, he expected her to be pissed and grow restless. Instead, she supported Waititi’s process and advised him to take his time with the script. The actress did not want to rush the film and told Waititi that the crew would be happy to wait for him. The director told The Hollywood Reporter,
One day while shooting, I was having trouble with some of Scarlett’s dialogue and I was working on the script. In those situations, people usually start shifting around and getting worried because there’s always a panic to keep moving on set.
Scarlett said to me, “You’re not coming back to this set ever again. This is the only chance we have to do it. We’re here. Everyone is dressed with their makeup on, and all the crew is here too, so let’s not rush it because we’re worried about a schedule thing. If we’re trying to get it right, then let’s get it right. What’s another 10 minutes?’
The director was blown away by Scarlett’s generosity and developed the utmost respect for her. Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit was one of the most loved films of 2019 and grossed $90 million against a $14 million budget (Box Office Mojo). In addition to being the director of Jojo Rabbit, Waititi won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Scarlett Johansson Fought Hard to Get Fly Me To The Moon Made
Scarlett Johansson is currently starring in the period piece comedy film Fly Me To The Moon opposite Channing Tatum. The film about staging a fake moon landing during the 60s Space Race era took a great deal of convincing to get made and as a producer of the film, Johansson helped to get the story off the ground.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, the Marvel star revealed that romantic comedies and dramedies are hard to find nowadays. Audiences are hungry for original content and the script for the film was perfect as it provided something nostalgic yet modern for audiences to experience in theatres. She said,
The most challenging projects to find are romantic comedies and dramedies. The totally original script by Rose Gilroy was what excited me most about this film. It is a big-picture movie that feels both nostalgic and so modern and the kind of movie I’m always reaching for that you rarely get to see in theaters these days. Audiences are hungry for original films!
In addition to Johansson and Tatum, the film also stars Jim Rash, Anna Garcia, Donald Elise Watkins, Noah Robbins, Colin Woodell, Christian Zuber, Nick Dillenburg, Ray Romano, and Woody Harrelson. Fly Me to the Moon has so far received decent reviews and a 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It will hit theatres on July 12, 2024.
Fans can watch/rent Jojo Rabbit on Apple TV+.
