Scarlett Johansson Says “I Should Be Able To Play Anyone” Comments Were “Clickbait... Taken Out Of Context"

Of all the “unwoke” celebrities out there, Scarlett Johansson, doesn’t appear to be, on the surface, one of them. But the actress has been consistently getting herself in hot water over the last few years and finding herself at the center of whitewashing casting controversies and similar disputes. First, there was blowback when Johansson was cast in “Ghost In The Shell,” a part that was initially intended for an Asian actress; she never handled that criticism particularly well. Then, the “Black Widow” star was cast as a trans man in the drama “Rub And Tug,” and when the Internet delivered a torrent of outrage, her supremely defensive responses weren’t particularly well-received either. Johansson quickly became an online meme; essentially anytime a major property was announcement featuring a POC character, social media users would mockingly ask if Johansson would be immediately cast. The joke extended to aliens, creatures, animals, you name it, the gag being no matter the part, Johansson would probably get the role.

This weekend, new comments surfaced about the “Rub And Tug” fiasco that were very much in line with Johansson’s defiant, unapologetic and self-justifying comments about casting. “You know, as an actor, I should be allowed to play any person, or any tree, or any animal because that is my job and the requirements of my job,’ she said in an interview with As If magazine captured by the Daily Mail. “I feel like it’s a trend in my business and it needs to happen for various social reasons, yet there are times it does get uncomfortable when it affects the art because I feel art should be free of restrictions.’ ‘I think society would be more connected if we just allowed others to have their own feelings and not expect everyone to feel the way we do.”

Of course, these comments sparked blowback online immediately, for obvious reasons: Hollywood is already dismissive of people of color, the LGBTQ community and minorities and white actors should understand the privileged they hold. To many, this was Johansson not extending empathy or acting as an ally to the underrepresented.

However, just as her comments have started to spread online, Johansson has delivered a statement to say her comments in the article were taken out of context and used as “clickbait.”

“An interview that was recently published has been edited for click bait and is widely taken out of context,” the actress said in a statement, given to Variety. “The question I was answering in my conversation with the contemporary artist, David Salle, was about the confrontation between political correctness and art.”

“I personally feel that, in an ideal world, any actor should be able to play anybody and Art, in all forms, should be immune to political correctness. That is the point I was making, albeit didn’t come across that way,” she continued.”

The actress then went on to finally explain how she’s not totally tone deaf, understands her privilege and the disadvantage many others have. “I recognize that in reality, there is a widespread discrepancy amongst my industry that favors Caucasian, cis-gendered actors and that not every actor has been given the same opportunities that I have been privileged to,” she said. “I continue to support, and always have, diversity in every industry and will continue to fight for projects where everyone is included.”

Meanwhile, Johansson had nothing to say in retraction about the comments she made about “Under The Skin” filmmaker Jonathan Glazer, in the original article where she was apparently “distraught” about his behavior on set according to the Daily Mail’s reading of the As If article.

“[My] character was wet all the time because I spent a big portion of the film outside, and it was raining and snowing,’ she explained. “In between takes the costume director would give me a warming jacket because I’m sure she saw I was turning blue. I remember looking at Jonathan and shooting him daggers with my eyes while thinking, ‘I’m going to kill you,’” she laughed. “I know how to pretend that I’m cold. I can pretend that I can’t feel my feet or toes. If I wanted to decide to be wet and cold in order to feel wet and cold I’d make that choice myself, you know? But, sometimes directors imagine that they can do something like that.”

Granted, not the most condemning comment about the filmmaker, but interesting to note nonetheless. Well, meltdown averted, nothing to see here, I guess. Until the next statement, anyhow, but Johansson would be wise to either receive some sensitivity training or just be a little bit more careful with her words if she doesn’t want to face another backlash.