Early life
Johansson was born in New York City. Her father, Karsten Johansson,
was born in Denmark and her paternal grandfather, Ejner Johansson, was
a screenwriter and director. Her mother, Melanie Sloan, comes from a
Bronx-bred Jewish American family, and met Karsten Johansson while
living in Denmark with Scarlett Johansson's maternal grandmother,
Dorothy, a former bookkeeper and schoolteacher. Johansson has an older
sister, Vanessa, who is also an actress, an older brother, Adrian, a
twin brother Hunter, also an actor, and a half-brother, Christian.
Johansson began her theater training by attending and graduating from
Professional Children's School in Manhattan in 2002, a school renowned
for its theater and acting training to young, hopeful actors and
actresses.
Career
Johansson's acting career debuted in Hollywood and garnered praise and
widespread attention with her role in The Horse Whisperer. Following
the critical success of the 1998 picture, she followed with major
roles as Rebecca in Ghost World, Charlotte in Lost in Translation,
Griet in Girl with a Pearl Earring, Francesca in The Perfect Score and
Nola in Match Point. Most of her performances received positive
critical notice.
In 2003, she was nominated for two best actress awards at the Golden
Globes, one for drama (Girl with a Pearl Earring) and one for comedy
(Lost in Translation). She was also nominated for best actress for
both films at the BAFTAs, and won best actress for Lost in
Translation.
She was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and
Sciences in June 2004. In the same year, she starred in A Love Song
for Bobby Long, a film that, despite being widely ignored by the
movie-going public (grossing only $964,308 worldwide), earned her a
third Golden Globe Award nomination.
Johansson was involved for a short time in the film Mission:
Impossible III but did not officially join the cast because of
scheduling conflicts, although a falling out with Tom Cruise had been
both widely reported but quickly denied. She was replaced by Keri
Russell.
In July 2005, Johansson starred with Ewan McGregor in the Michael
Bay-directed The Island, making her debut as a female lead in a
mainstream action film. She drew attention to both the film and
herself when she proposed that she'd wanted to film the sex scene in
the film topless, but director Michael Bay disapproved, wanting to
keep the film at a PG-13 rating. Though produced with high
expectations, when the movie opened to weak reviews and an even weaker
box office, the producers of the film accused Johansson of failing to
connect with and attract a mainstream audience.
Her film Match Point, directed by Woody Allen, opened in December of
2005. Johansson received her fourth Golden Globe nomination for Best
Supporting Actress but lost to Rachel Weisz. Johansson's next film,
Scoop, another collaboration with director Woody Allen, will open on
July 28, 2006.
In July of 2006, Johansson was cast opposite Natalie Portman and Eric
Bana in The Other Boleyn Girl, playing Mary Boleyn, the sister of
Portman's character. Filming will begin in London in the fall of 2006
for a 2007 release.
Modeling
Johansson endorsed the Calvin Klein perfume "Moment" and was featured
in several commercials and printed advertisements for the product.
Further establishing her position in Hollywood, she became the face
and spokesperson for the French luxury brand Louis Vuitton in early
2005 and in January 2006 was named the spokesperson of L'Oreal.
In early 2006, Johansson appeared on the controversial cover of the
February 2006 issue of Vanity Fair in the nude with other Hollywood
it-girl Keira Knightley and world-renowned fashion designer Tom Ford.
In March of 2006, she topped the U.S. edition of FHM's poll of the
sexiest women alive (in the UK edition, Keira Knightley was first with
Johansson in third). In May of 2006, Maxim named Johansson #6 in their
Hot 100 issue.
Personal life
Johansson is currently dating actor Josh Hartnett. She is a Democrat
and campaigned for John Kerry in the 2004 Presidential Election.
Johansson has also taken part in an anti-poverty campaign which was
organized by U2 lead singer, Bono.
Johansson has answered "That's a very personal question. I would
rather not answer" when asked about her current religious affiliation,
although she has specified that she celebrates a "little of both"
Christmas and Hanukkah. She has noted that she dislikes it when
celebrities thank God or Jesus in their award acceptance speeches and
has said that her parents are atheists.
Selected filmography
2007 The Other Boleyn Girl Mary Boleyn
The Nanny Diaries Nan
2006 The Prestige Olivia
The Black Dahlia Kay Lake
Scoop Sondra Pransky
A Good Woman Meg Windermere limited release
2005 Match Point Nola Rice
The Island Jordan Two Delta/Sarah Jordan
2004 In Good Company Alex Foreman
A Love Song for Bobby Long Pursy Will limited release
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie Mindy voice over
The Perfect Score Francesca Curtis
2003 Girl with a Pearl Earring Griet
Lost in Translation Charlotte
2002 Eight Legged Freaks Ashley Parker
2001 The Man Who Wasn't There Rachael 'Birdy' Abundas
An American Rhapsody Zsuzsi/Suzanne Sandor (at 15)
Ghost World Rebecca
1998 The Horse Whisperer Grace MacLean
1997 Home Alone 3 Molly Pruitt
1996 Manny & Lo Amanda limited release
If Lucy Fell Emily
1995 Just Cause Kate Armstrong
1994 North Laura Nelson