“As much as Anthony Hopkins is a Pussy Cat He is Terrifying”: Scarlett Johansson Blames’ The Silence of the Lambs’ Trauma For Being Sh*t Scared While Hopkins Was Stabbing Her With a 12-inch Kitchen Knife

Scarlett Johansson previously featured in a film centered on the creation of Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic horror masterpiece, Psycho. However, the experience of recreating the famed scene alongside the seasoned Anthony Hopkins may have felt unsettlingly authentic for Johansson.

In the 2012 film Hitchcock, Scarlett Johansson took on the role of the late Janet Leigh. The movie primarily delved into the production of Alfred Hitchcock’s renowned 1960 masterpiece, Psycho, with Anthony Hopkins portraying the legendary director himself.

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Scarlett Johansson Was Terrified Of Anthony Hopkins

During one particular scene in the film, Hopkins recreates a moment where Hitchcock guides Scarlett Johansson through the rehearsal of Psycho‘s iconic shower sequence. Johansson had to summon considerable courage to execute the scene alongside Hopkins.

“You have got to be brave, get into the shower, and face Anthony Hopkins as Hitchcock jabbing you in the face with a 12-inch kitchen knife,” Johansson once told V Magazine.

However, the apprehension that accompanied the moment continued to linger for Johansson.

“As much as Anthony Hopkins is a pussycat, he’s terrifying. Maybe I watched Silence of the Lambs too many times when I was a kid. Maybe I was having some flashbacks. So I didn’t need too much preparation for the scene.”

Scarlett Johansson explained that they had only a single day to shoot the scene, creating a sense of nervousness among the crew due to the water involved and concerns about preserving modesty. However, Johansson emphasized that such concerns were of no importance to her, drawing a parallel with Janet Leigh, who shared the same perspective.

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Scarlett Johansson Turned Her Meeting Into An Audition

Before committing to the movie, Johansson essentially auditioned for her role in Hitchcock. The film’s director, Sacha Gervais, arranged a meeting for the actress to discuss her involvement in the project.

“I was rehearsing with Tony Hopkins at my house, he was working on the script with me. Scarlett was going to come over and tell us whether she wanted to work on the movie or not. It was the first meeting,” Gervais once told Ain’t It Cool News.

However, when the Marvel actress met with Anthony Hopkins and Gervais, the encounter veered unexpectedly. Gervais recalled,

“She came over and we stopped working and she said, ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘Well, we’re just working on [the movie].’ She said, ‘Can I see?’ We were working on the peephole scene, just figuring out how to do it, and she said, ‘Why don’t I do this?’ It was a meeting about whether or not she would do the movie that turned into a rehearsal. Immediately. And she just went for it.”

Within a week, Johansson reached out to Gervais to convey her decision to join the project.

Hitchcock can be rented or purchased on Google Play.

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Source: Daily Actor