Scarlett Johansson breaks free from Hollywood stereotypes, gears up for action in Jurassic World: Rebirth
Scarlett Johansson has opened up about her journey from being typecast as Hollywood’s go-to “sex symbol” to commanding powerful, layered roles — both in front of and behind the camera.
Speaking to The Sunday Times, the Black Widow and Lost in Translation star reflected on the early years of her career, revealing that much of her work once revolved around male fantasies and narrow beauty standards. “I was often cast for my desirability,” Johansson admitted. “So many roles were rooted in the male gaze or had story arcs that hinged solely on how attractive the character was to men. But that has thankfully changed — something has definitely shifted.”
Now 40, Johansson says that the industry landscape looks different for young actresses today, crediting the rise of powerful women in media and more nuanced storytelling. “The messaging is different now,” she said. “There are more visible role models, more women in influential positions — it’s a new era.”
And she didn’t just wait for the industry to evolve — she helped push it forward. While many actresses in her position might have accepted the roles handed to them, Johansson took a bolder route. “I turned down a lot of roles that felt deeply unfulfilling,” she revealed. “I had to become okay with the idea that things might take time — that I could become irrelevant at any moment.”
That risk paid off. Scarlett’s career took a sharp turn with serious, critically acclaimed roles in Marriage Story, Under the Skin, and her long stint in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which catapulted her to become the highest-grossing female actor of all time. In 2024, she stepped behind the camera, making her directorial debut with Eleanor the Great, a deeply personal film about her Jewish roots. The film premiered at Cannes to glowing reviews, proving Johansson’s talents extend far beyond acting.
Off-screen, she balances stardom with motherhood — raising 10-year-old Rose (with former husband Romain Dauriac) and 3-year-old Cosmo (with current husband Colin Jost of SNL fame).
Now, she’s about to enter another massive franchise. Scarlett takes centre stage in Jurassic World: Rebirth, set to roar into theatres on July 2. She plays Zora Bennett, a covert ops expert leading a high-stakes mission to recover dinosaur DNA from a remote island where experiments have gone dangerously wrong.
In the adrenaline-fueled trailer, Johansson’s character warns her team as they arrive on the treacherous terrain. “We’ve put ourselves in a place where we don’t belong,” says her co-star Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton), who plays scientist Dr. Henry Loomis. She coolly replies, “That’s kind of our specialty.”
Set five years after Jurassic World Dominion, the film explores a world where Earth’s ecosystem is no longer safe for dinosaurs — but humans still can’t resist playing god. Directed by Gareth Edwards, the film boasts a star-studded cast including Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ed Skrein, Luna Blaise, David Iacono, and more.
From battling sexism in casting rooms to fighting off genetically altered dinosaurs, Scarlett Johansson is proving she’s evolved far beyond the label of “bombshell.” Now she’s the brains, the brawn, and the brilliance behind the action — and she’s just getting started.