Scarlett Johansson says she was rejected for Black Widow's role: 'I've made a career out of being second choice'
Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson revealed that she has suffered a lot of rejection in life and made a career out of being a second choice. In an interview to Parade Magazine, Johansson got candid about her life, earlier projects and her blooming romantic relationship with Colin Jost.
The actress revealed that she appreciates it when she has been approached for a role for which she was initially rejected. She said that she wasn't even the first choice for her iconic role as Black Widow. It was Emily Blunt. She said there was a “wonderful” meeting with Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau, “And I was really excited to work with him, so I said, 'If this doesn’t work out, I’m an actor for hire, so call me anytime'."
After the original actress (Emily Blunt) had to quit for scheduling reasons, Johansson bagged the part. “The best call you can receive is after you are rejected for something and then you get it,” she says. “You appreciate it more. I’ve basically made a career out of being second choice... Since a very young age, I’ve been rejected constantly..." Johansson told Parade magazine.
She said she wasn't sure if the audience would have appreciated her. "When we did Iron Man, I didn’t know if the audience would like my interpretation of the character." However, she had a hint that she was part of something special during the production of 'The Avengers' (2012) when the original six Avengers — Black Widow, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and the Hulk — all stand in a circle, ready for battle. "It’s the iconic hero shot," she says. "We were all thinking, This is crazy! Because these worlds were coming together. We’re still processing how much of an impact these movies have had."
Johansson's character was killed off in the final film, 'Avengers: Endgame' which saw the end of Phase 3 in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Her standalone 'Black Widow' film had to be pushed from May to November due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Opening up about the film, Johansson said, "It’s a film very much about self-forgiveness and accepting decisions that were made for you. It's much deeper than anything we could have done earlier."
The film's events are set after 'Captain America: Civil War' and we see Natasha Romanoff in Budapest visiting her troubled past. This is probably the last time we will see Black Widow in action. She appeared first in 'Iron Man 2' and had to wait for 10 years to get her own standalone film.
The cast includes Rachel Weisz, David Harbour of 'Stranger Things’ fame and Florence Pugh as fellow spies. Clearing up the misconception that Pugh plays her sister, Johansson says, "They’re not family, because (Natasha) has no family, but they're assigned familial roles."
Fans are waiting breathlessly for 'Black Widow' to release.
