Scarlett Johansson Biography
Scarlett Johansson is an American actress, producer, director and singer whose career has spanned more than three decades. Born on November 22, 1984, in Manhattan, New York City, Johansson began performing as a child and developed into one of Hollywood’s most recognizable leading actresses.
She gained early critical attention with films including The Horse Whisperer (1998) and Ghost World (2001), before achieving international recognition through Lost in Translation and Girl with a Pearl Earring in 2003. Her performance in Lost in Translation earned her a BAFTA Award for Best Actress.
Johansson later became globally known for playing Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She first appeared as the character in Iron Man 2 (2010) and subsequently appeared in several major Marvel films, culminating in the standalone Black Widow in 2021.
Beyond blockbuster cinema, Johansson has earned major critical recognition for dramatic performances. She received two Academy Award nominations in the same year for Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit at the 2020 Oscars.
In 2025, Johansson expanded her career behind the camera with her directorial debut, Eleanor the Great, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. She also starred in Jurassic World Rebirth and appeared in Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme.
Early Life and Career
Scarlett Ingrid Johansson was born in New York City to Karsten Johansson, a Danish architect, and Melanie Sloan, an American producer and actress. She has a fraternal twin brother, Hunter, as well as older siblings.
Johansson developed an interest in acting at a young age. She began auditioning for commercials and attended the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute. At eight, she appeared in an off-Broadway production of Sophistry with Ethan Hawke.
Her first major film appearance came in Rob Reiner’s North (1994), followed by roles in Just Cause, Manny & Lo and If Lucy Fell.
Breakthrough with The Horse Whisperer
Johansson’s performance in Robert Redford’s The Horse Whisperer (1998) brought her significant critical attention. She played Grace MacLean, a teenager recovering from a traumatic riding accident.
The role established Johansson as a promising young dramatic actress and helped lead to increasingly prominent film roles.
Lost in Translation
One of Johansson’s most important early performances came in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation (2003), in which she starred opposite Bill Murray.
Her performance as Charlotte, a young woman experiencing isolation while visiting Tokyo, received widespread critical acclaim. Johansson won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress for the role and received a Golden Globe nomination.
The same year, she starred in Girl with a Pearl Earring opposite Colin Firth, earning another Golden Globe nomination.
Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow
Johansson joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Natasha Romanoff / Black Widow in Iron Man 2 (2010).
The character became one of the central members of the Avengers, and Johansson reprised the role in:
- The Avengers (2012)
- Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
- Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
- Captain America: Civil War (2016)
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018)
- Avengers: Endgame (2019)
- Black Widow (2021)
Black Widow served as Johansson’s first standalone Marvel film and also marked an important expansion of her role behind the camera, as she served as an executive producer.
Scarlett Johansson Movies
Johansson has built a diverse filmography covering independent cinema, drama, comedy, science fiction, action and animation.
Notable Scarlett Johansson Movies
- The Horse Whisperer (1998) — Her early breakthrough dramatic role.
- Ghost World (2001) — A critically acclaimed coming-of-age comedy-drama.
- Lost in Translation (2003) — The film that established Johansson as a major international actress.
- Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003) — Historical drama based on the famous painting.
- Match Point (2005) — Woody Allen thriller in which Johansson played Nola Rice.
- The Prestige (2006) — Christopher Nolan’s period mystery thriller.
- Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) — Woody Allen romantic comedy-drama.
- Iron Man 2 (2010) — Johansson’s MCU debut as Black Widow.
- We Bought a Zoo (2011) — Cameron Crowe’s family drama.
- The Avengers (2012) — Her first major Avengers team-up.
- Her (2013) — Johansson provided the voice of Samantha.
- Lucy (2014) — Luc Besson’s science-fiction action film.
- Captain America: Civil War (2016) — Johansson returned as Black Widow.
- Ghost in the Shell (2017) — Science-fiction action film.
- Avengers: Infinity War (2018) — Major MCU ensemble film.
- Avengers: Endgame (2019) — Her final Avengers-era appearance as Natasha Romanoff.
- Marriage Story (2019) — Oscar-nominated dramatic performance.
- Jojo Rabbit (2019) — Oscar-nominated supporting performance.
- Black Widow (2021) — Standalone Marvel film and executive-producing credit.
- Asteroid City (2023) — Wes Anderson ensemble film.
- Fly Me to the Moon (2024) — Romantic comedy starring Johansson and Channing Tatum; Johansson also produced.
- The Phoenician Scheme (2025) — Wes Anderson film.
- Jurassic World Rebirth (2025) — Johansson played Zora Bennett.
- Paper Tiger (2026) — James Gray crime drama starring Johansson alongside Adam Driver and Miles Teller.
Marriage Story and Oscar Recognition
Johansson received one of the most important recognitions of her career for Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story (2019).
She played Nicole Barber, an actress navigating a difficult divorce from her husband, played by Adam Driver. The performance earned Johansson an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
In the same awards cycle, she was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Jojo Rabbit, making her one of the performers to receive two acting nominations in the same year.
Jojo Rabbit
In Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit, Johansson played Rosie Betzler, the mother of a young boy growing up in Nazi Germany.
The role earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and demonstrated her ability to move between large-scale commercial filmmaking and character-driven dramatic performances.
Jurassic World Rebirth
In 2025, Johansson joined the Jurassic World franchise in Jurassic World Rebirth.
She played Zora Bennett, a covert operations expert involved in an expedition seeking dinosaur DNA. The film was released in July 2025 and marked Johansson’s entry into another major global film franchise.
Scarlett Johansson as a Director
Johansson made her feature directorial debut with Eleanor the Great, starring June Squibb.
The film premiered at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section. Cannes lists Johansson as the film’s director, marking an important new stage in her career beyond acting.
Scarlett Johansson as a Producer
Johansson has also developed a career as a producer. She served as an executive producer on Black Widow and produced Fly Me to the Moon.
Her production work reflects her increasing involvement in the creative and business sides of filmmaking, rather than limiting her career to acting alone.
Scarlett Johansson and The Outset
Scarlett Johansson is the founder of The Outset, a skincare company focused on clean and gentle skincare products.
The company’s official website describes Johansson as its founder and explains that the brand was inspired by her experience with sensitive skin.
Official website: The Outset
Scarlett Johansson Family
Johansson was born to Karsten Johansson and Melanie Sloan. Her father is a Danish architect, while her mother has worked as a producer and actress.
Johansson has a fraternal twin brother named Hunter and several other siblings.
Scarlett Johansson Husband
Scarlett Johansson is married to comedian and Saturday Night Live star Colin Jost.
The couple first met through Saturday Night Live and eventually began dating years later. They became engaged in 2019 and married in October 2020 in a private ceremony.
Johansson was previously married to actor Ryan Reynolds and French journalist Romain Dauriac.
Scarlett Johansson’s Children
Johansson has two children.
- Rose Dorothy Dauriac — her daughter with former husband Romain Dauriac.
- Cosmo Jost — her son with Colin Jost, born in 2021.
Johansson generally keeps her children’s lives private and rarely shares personal family details publicly.
Scarlett Johansson Awards
Johansson has received recognition from some of the biggest institutions in film and theatre.
- BAFTA Award: Best Actress for Lost in Translation.
- Tony Award: Best Featured Actress in a Play for A View from the Bridge.
- Academy Award: Nominated for Best Actress for Marriage Story.
- Academy Award: Nominated for Best Supporting Actress for Jojo Rabbit.
- Golden Globe: Multiple nominations across her film career.
Her 2010 Broadway performance in A View from the Bridge earned her the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play.
Scarlett Johansson Net Worth
Scarlett Johansson’s exact current net worth is not publicly verified. Celebrity net-worth websites frequently publish estimates, but these figures are not official financial disclosures and can vary considerably.
Johansson has earned substantial income through major film franchises, acting contracts, producing work and commercial ventures. She has also expanded her business interests through The Outset.
For Celebbuddy, it is preferable to describe her wealth in terms of publicly documented career earnings and business interests rather than presenting an unsupported net-worth estimate as fact.
Scarlett Johansson Upcoming Movies
Paper Tiger (2026)
James Gray’s Paper Tiger stars Scarlett Johansson alongside Adam Driver and Miles Teller. Johansson plays Hester Pearl.
The film was selected for the 2026 Cannes Film Festival competition. Cannes lists Johansson in the cast and James Gray as director.
Ray Gunn (2026)
Johansson is part of the voice cast of Brad Bird’s animated film Ray Gunn, in which she voices Venus Nova. The project is listed as completed for 2026.
The Exorcist: Martyrs (2027)
Johansson is attached to the upcoming Exorcist film, currently listed as The Exorcist: Martyrs. The project is listed in post-production with a 2027 release window.
The Batman: Part II (2028)
Johansson is listed among the cast of The Batman: Part II, which is currently in production and listed for 2028.
Featherwood
Featherwood is another upcoming project associated with Johansson. Current filmography information lists her as playing Carol Blevins, with the project in pre-production.
Jurassic World Rebirth Sequel
A sequel to Jurassic World Rebirth is also listed as being in development, with Johansson’s Zora Bennett attached to the project.
Scarlett Johansson Latest News
Johansson’s current career is moving into a particularly active phase. Following her directorial debut with Eleanor the Great, she has continued to work across acting, producing and directing.
Her 2026 project Paper Tiger is among her most prominent current releases. The James Gray film was selected for the 2026 Cannes competition, where Johansson stars as Hester Pearl.
Her upcoming slate also includes the new Exorcist film, The Batman: Part II, Ray Gunn, Featherwood and a planned Jurassic World Rebirth sequel.
Scarlett Johansson Social Media
Unlike many contemporary Hollywood stars, Scarlett Johansson does not appear to maintain personal public social-media accounts. Current sources specifically report that she has no official personal Instagram, X/Twitter or TikTok presence.
Fans should therefore be careful with social-media accounts using Johansson’s name or photographs. Fan pages and impersonator accounts should not be presented as her official accounts.
Scarlett Johansson’s Legacy
Scarlett Johansson has built a career that successfully combines independent cinema, prestige drama, blockbuster entertainment, theatre and production.
Her transformation from a child performer into one of the world’s highest-profile actresses was reinforced by roles in Lost in Translation, Marriage Story, Lucy and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Her portrayal of Black Widow made Natasha Romanoff one of Marvel’s most recognizable characters, while her Oscar-nominated dramatic performances established her credentials outside the superhero genre.
With her move into directing and producing, Johansson is now expanding her influence beyond acting and building a broader career as a filmmaker and entrepreneur.