Scarlett Johansson is not one to pull punches during an interview, so thankfully the one she just conducted with W Magazine didn’t include any inane, sexist subject matter. Instead, she actually got to talk about her acting career and gave us a few hints about what we’ll learn about Black Widow in this spring’s Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Before taking the role of Natasha Romanoff, Johansson had actually been pursuing a role in the comic book movie genre after doing a lot of artsy, independent work. And she was pretty serious about landing the role after doing a bit of homework:
“People were surprised that I wanted to play a comic book heroine,” Johansson said. “But I loved Iron Man, and I met with Marvel to see what was possible. I had done my research, and the Black Widow character resonated with me. She is dark and has faced death so many times that she has a deep perspective on the value of life. In the sequel [to The Avengers], you learn more about the sadness in her past.”
We’ve seen little hints that could pertain to Black Widow, specifically in the trailers, such as the shadowy ballerinas, but there were also those shots of her and some pointy surgical tools and a tender moment between her and the Hulk. Considering what we’ve been learning about the Black Widow program on Agent Carter, we can probably expect a lot of exposition in Avengers: Age of Ultron this spring. Johansson, for one, gets to have a lot of fun with a character she’s become very connected with:
“…Black Widow is a superhero, but she’s also human. She’s small, but she’s strong. It’s hard not to admire her.” Johansson laughed, perhaps realizing it was herself she could be describing. “She packs a big punch,” Johansson said as she left to check on her daughter, who was sleeping nearby. “We all try to fight the forces of evil. Like Black Widow, you have to keep trying. The challenge is always there.”
As for what might come after playing an Avenger, Johansson hopes to do something a little more light-hearted and utilize one of her greatest assets: her voice.
“I actually visited Pixar, hoping that they would use me for a cartoon,” Johansson said. “They didn’t. I was ripe for the picking! What happened?” She paused. “Now they have to give me a cartoon! I just called them out.”
Come on, Pixar! I’m sure there’s a place in your universe for Scarlett Johansson to play a witty, husky-voiced animated something-or-other that can move every member of the human race to tears. Let’s get on that, please.
Source: W Magazine
