Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson share a great friendship. They’re a dynamic duo loved unanimously and always great together. They tease each other and pull each other’s legs but do not let go of the opportunity to stand up for one another. Especially RDJ. The Iron Man star does not hold back when showing support for his Avengers co-star.
As happened in one interview when the interviewer was being sexist toward Johansson, Downey Jr called out the person’s sexist behavior. And helped Johansson confront them.
Scarlett Johansson Faced Sexist Behavior From An Interviewer
The glitz and glam of Hollywood can be blinding. But it does not always hide the dark realities of the entertainment industry. For instance, sexism is a persistent issue in the business. Actresses get treated very differently than their male counterparts.
And this different treatment is not restricted to lesser-known actresses. Sometimes it’s subtle, sometimes it’s in the subtexts but mostly it is loud and out in the open. Big names like Scarlett Johansson are not an exception to sexist remarks.
Featuring in Marvel movies since 2010, Johansson’s character Black Widow has been overshadowed by the male superheroes. The cast share a close bond but that doesn’t help with how their characters are perceived by the general public.
And in this case, a journalist. In one promotional interview (via Digital Spy) which happened circa 2012, RDJ was asked a rather thought-provoking and philosophical question about dealing with the transformation in his character’s attitude.
Johansson on the other hand, was asked the details about her diet and workout regime she followed to get a perfect figure for Black Widow. This shows how women in the industry are looked at with a vain lens. And it must get tiring for Johansson or any actress to have all their efforts put into their craft being reduced to their looks and body.
Robert Downey Jr. Became Scarlett Johansson’s Guiding Light
Before Scarlett Johansson could even answer, Robert Downey Jr. jumped in and took matters into his own hands. He pointed out the journalist’s stereotypical approach assertively and humorously. He said:
“If I have learned anything then it’s that people are much more interested in your second question to Scarlett than any answer to mine.”
Johansson took over from here and said the same thing:
“I was just gonna say the very thing, that’s so funny. How come you get the really interesting existential question, and I get the rabbit food question?”
To which RDJ then replied:
“I don’t know… surely you know your training and doing all that stunt work and eating a lot of green things?”
This instance shows the close bond Johansson and RDJ share and how well they understand each other. Friendships like these come in handy when one chooses to brave the world as a public figure. Or just as a regular Joe.
