Scarlett Johansson is the world's highest paid actress and somewhat of an enigma to
me, which got me thinking about her success in films since she first broke out into global
awareness following her role in Lost In Translation, opposite the ever brilliant Bill Murray.
She now stars in the satire Jojo Rabbit, set in Nazi Germany.
I've always wondered how she's achieved her success, not just because she's incredibly
talented, but also because I can't think of any other actress who has consistently been
in a leading role for such a variety of movies.
It got me wondering how Scarlett Johansson managed to get such a diverse portfolio in
Hollywood, which has contributed to her much deserved success, and what we can learn from
her example to apply into our own lives.
If you're interested in a fascinating aspect of how Scarlett Johansson's success is built,
then you'll learn an important life lesson in this video that can be applied in your
own life.
Scarlett Johansson's filmography is unique in that it's hard to type cast her in any
specific role.
She's done romance, action, musicals and comedy, a star who is in definition in actor and one
that's beloved the world over.
So, in researching this video I came across a tidbit of an interview she did with Howard
Stern that gives insight into her success, and specifically why she's so unique as an
actress.
In the interview, she openly stated that she auditioned for the role that eventually won
Anne Hathaway an Academy Award, and that she still auditions for roles today, despite probably
being the biggest film lead in Hollywood today.
It's her willingness to try for new roles and keep a humble attitude that sometimes
results in failure that leads to her getting such a diversity of roles.
And from it, there are many lessons to be learned, including...
1.
Focus On Your Skill, Not Role
The one issue many struggle with when working in any industry is they effectively pigeonhole
themselves into certain groups or roles.
In the case of actors, they'll often say they're a specific type of star, not necessarily acknowledge
their skills as an actor.
For example, many action stars of the 80s struggled to keep up with the evolution of
cinema as films changed, many of which have disappeared from the big screen, while others
target fans' nostalgia to maintain their success.
Scarlett Johansson's got a very unique perspective on her craft, as rather than focusing on being
a star, she places focus on her skill as an actor, as seen in the quote where she says:
"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"
The fact is, by focusing on her skillset and using it to open up possibilities of what
she can do, rather than let it hold her back in terms of what she does do, she instantly
opens herself up to all varieties of possibilities, as long as they utilise the skills.
This is something all of us need to do in life as we learn skills, understanding that
they are often transferable and therefore can be utilised and monetised in a variety
of ways.
2.
Diversity Opens Opportunities
It's a rather simple concept, but Scarlett Johansson's willingness to use her acting
skills in a variety of roles has opened up opportunities in her career.
The fact is she's gone from dramas, to heist movies, to action star and a whole host of
roles, have identified her as an actress capable of playing a huge variety of roles.
She's not always been successful in her roles, but with many successes people see her as
an actor first and foremost.
This undoubtably gives her opportunities, as people know they can trust her to take
on challenging roles, which perpetuates more opportunities for future roles as momentum
grows.
3.
Accept And Endure Failure
I mentioned this in the previous point, but she's not always had success in her career.
She auditioned for a role in the original Jumanji and lost out to Kirsten Dunst, while
more recently she's acknowledged losing out in a role in Les Miserable to Anne Hathaway.
Even when she has been cast in some roles, they've sometimes been met with criticism.
The fact is, when you try to do something challenging you will have failures along the
way.
What's highly respectable and commendable with Scarlett Johansson is that it's not stopped
her pushing forward regardless and trying again.
It's through perserverence that's she's gained the success she has, whether it be breaking
through in Lost In Translation, being a Science Fiction lead in Lucy and Ghost In the Shell
or becoming a major action star in the MCU.
She accepts the failures and continues forward, knowing that just as failures come, so do
successes.
4.
Sometimes Controversy Follows
It might seem that Scarlett Johansson's success makes her a darling in Hollywood, loved all
over and rarely, if ever criticised for her work.
The truth is, while that is often the case, she's no stranger to some controversy in her
career, because her willingness to tackle almost any role has lead to backlash in her
casting as a lead.
This was most notable when she was cast as Major Kusunagi in Ghost In The Shell, a film
based on the incredibly influential Japanese Manga and Anime science fiction series, which
many fans felt should have had a Japanese lead playing the Major.
The truth is it's understandable, as for all intents and purposes the character is technically
Japanese and this was even acknowledged in the film itself.
However, as much as I love the source material and widely consider the Ghost In The Shell
Anime movies some of the greatest science fiction films of all time, I admire and respect
Johansson's willingess to go for the role and test herself as an actor, despite the
fact that it did lead to controversy.
This can happen at times, our choices to pursue goals that aren't considered the norm can
lead to some backlash, and it's the willingness to accept that as part of the journey that
can often lead to breakthroughs that were previously unknown.
5.
Be Humble, Work Hard, Become A Master
Possibly the biggest lesson to take from Scarlett Johansson is that she keeps a humble attitude
in her work, willing to push to earn her roles, rather than expect to be given her success.
It's the thing that many successful people say, which is dream big and act small.
The key thing is to never lose the hunger that brought you success, always aim to venture
further and test yourself to see what you can do.
It's something we all need to do, always maintain a growth mindset.
Had Scarlett Johansson never tested herself to try for more complex and challenging roles,
she may never have much work outside of playing a love interest in film, as she did in Lost
in Translation, meaning she wouldn't be set to play an action star as the lead in the
biggest movie franchise today, Black Widow in the MCU.
She's the master when it comes to Hollywood leads, and is at the top of the hierarchy
as an actress.
However, it's her humble attitude and willingness to try new roles that has got her where she
is today, and maintain her status as arguably the most successful actress of her generation.
Which is your favourite role that Scarlett Johansson has played?
Let me know in the comments section below.
To share my personal favourite, I think it was as the AI Samantha in the film Her, starring
Joaquin Phoenix.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJYDOxO7HVU