Scarlett Johansson Reflects on Changing Roles for Women in Hollywood
2025-06-29T19:49:00Z
Scarlett Johansson, a prominent figure in Hollywood, recently opened up about the significant evolution of roles available to women in the film industry since she began her career. In an insightful interview with The Times of London, the acclaimed actress shared her observations about how the landscape has shifted, particularly for young women entering the field today.
Johansson recalled that when she first entered Hollywood, the roles presented to her were predominantly focused on 'desirability' and were often framed around the goals and narratives of male characters. She reflected on this trend, stating, "The messaging is different — there are many more role models, women are visible in powerful positions, and the opportunities I have had to play women who don’t have to just be one thing or another have increased." This marks a notable shift from her earlier experiences, where character arcs were frequently tied to their attractiveness or the male gaze.
This isn’t the first occasion Johansson has spoken candidly about her experiences regarding representation in the industry. In a previous discussion in 2022, she expressed feelings of being “hypersexualized” at a young age, which greatly impacted her career trajectory. During that time, she felt as though she was being objectified and pigeonholed into specific types of roles, limiting her opportunities to explore diverse characters. "I kind of became objectified and pigeonholed in this way where I felt like I wasn’t getting offers for work for things that I wanted to do," Johansson recalled. She even reflected on how she believed others perceived her age, saying, "I remember thinking to myself, ‘I think people think I’m 40 years old.’ It somehow stopped being something that was desirable and something that I was fighting against.”
Her comments provide a crucial perspective on the ongoing conversation about gender representation in Hollywood and highlight the progress that has been made, while also acknowledging the challenges that still exist.
Mei-Ling Chen
Source of the news: Variety