Move over, Kris Jenner. Scarlett Johansson’s publicist is now the hardest hustler in Hollywood.
Scarlett keeps making headlines with her controversial comments and casting choices. From her thoughts on a man who married his own adopted daughter (that’s Woody Allen) to saying she should be allowed to play any role she wants, ScarJo has stepped in it a few times.
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Here’s the worst of it.
1. That time she accepted the role of a trans man.
There are quite a few transgendered actors in Hollywood.
Scarlett Johansson is not one of them.
And yet she chose to team up with her Ghost in the Shell (we’ll get to that in a minute) director to portray a trans man in Rub & Tug.
People were horrified.
There are few roles that trans actors are cast in, which often leaves them to play the roles of trans characters. Having a cisgendered person take that role makes that opportunity pool even smaller.
The experts weighed in.
As GLAAD’s Nick Adams put it : “[…] putting a male actor in a dress, wig and makeup is an accurate portrayal of a transgender woman.”
This obviously is the same for a cis woman playing a trans man.
Scarlett withdrew from the film.
“While I would have loved the opportunity to bring Dante’s story and transition to life, I understand why many feel he should be portrayed by a transgender person, and I am thankful that this casting debate, albeit controversial, has sparked a larger conversation about diversity and representation in film,” she said in a statement.
She even provided statistics about LGBTQIA+ roles in Hollywood. So she got it, right?
2. That time she contradicted her own statement and said she should have been allowed to play that character, anyway.
She didn’t get it.
Frustrated by the limitations placed on her as a successful white woman, Scarlett lashed out in an interview.
“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.”
(Cue the memes.)
She just kept going.
“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.”
Imagine thinking giving opportunities to minorities is a restriction on art.
Oh, she wasn’t done!
“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.”
Yeah! For instance, not everyone thinks Scarlett Johansson should play…say, a Japanese woman, or something.
3. That time she played a Japanese woman.
Scarlett was cast in Ghost in the Shell , a live-action adaptation of an anime by the same name.
She took on the role of Motoko Kusanagi, a Japanese Major.
So, you see where I’m going with this, right?
The producers allegedly tried to use CGI to make her look more Japanese.
I really wish I was making this up.
According to Screen Crush , multiple sources said the producers, “[…] commissioned visual effects tests that would’ve altered Scarlett Johansson in post-production to “shift her ethnicity” and make the Caucasian actress appear more Asian in the film.”
Scarlett had some interesting things to say on the subject.
The film was participating in whitewashing, which involves casting a white person to play a person of color.
Scarlett said, “I certainly would never presume to play another race of a person.”
The Major is Japanese.
Ghost in the Shell has a 43% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
4. That time she…defended Woody Allen?
Just as a reminder, here’s everything Woody Allen has been accused of doing, or did do:
Accused of: Sexually assaulting his seven year-old adoptive daughter, Dylan Farrow. (He has denied this accusation.)
Definitely did: Cheated on his wife, Mia Farrow, with their adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn; married his adopted daughter.
Scarlett said she’d work with him any time.
In an interview with the _ Hollywood Reporter_, she said:
“I love Woody. I believe him, and I would work with him anytime.”
Mister Stark, I don’t feel so good.
She kept going.
“I see Woody whenever I can, and I have had a lot of conversations with him about it. I have been very direct with him, and he’s very direct with me.
He maintains his innocence, and I believe him.”
She said expressing that opinion was difficult for her.
“It’s hard because it’s a time where people are very fired up, and understandably.
Things needed to be stirred up, and so people have a lot of passion and a lot of strong feelings and are angry, and rightfully so. It’s an intense time.”
Dylan Farrow pulled no punches when she read the interview.
She also retweeted multiple tweets that outlined the allegations against Woody Allen, including some graphic testimony from the trial.
Please be careful when clicking through, as the allegations are difficult to read.
