Scarlet Fever

Johansson smolders on the edge of stardom

Comments (0) By Juan Morales Thursday, Sep 11 2003

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In a previous interview you said, “The most important thing to me is that the character is something I can play. I can’t play a cheerleader. It’s going to come out awful. I don’t feel comfortable baring my stomach. I wouldn’t pay 10 dollars to see it.” Based on your latest projects, it seems you still feel that way.

Unfortunately, terrible movies are made all the time, and they’re just making more bad ones as we speak. I think that’s what’s so great about Lost in Translation — it’s just so refreshing. For Christ’s sake, you leave the theater and you’re talking about the characters! When was the last time you did that?

When people say, “It must have been really challenging for you to play in Lost in Translation and Girl With a Pearl Earring,” I think, “Are you kidding? They were a breath of fresh air. They were all you could wish for.” It’s difficult when you’re trying to make something work that’s stupid or unrealistic and sappy. It’s terrible to have to do that kind of work. And it’s a shame because there are so many great actors who don’t really have any other option. I like to think that everybody wants to play the parts that I get to play. But it’s not like I don’t see my share of the worst material. In every script I get, it seems my character is a detective or something. It’s like, “Oh, come on!”