Scarlett Johansson: How Her Time Portraying Black Widow Represented Sexism In The Workplace – And What We Can All Take Away From The Witnessed Time And Energy She Spent Fighting For Women’s Equal Rights

When we speak of the Jewish community, and especially the Jewish community in Hollywood, we can’t simply avoid talking about Scarlett Johansson. I’ve already spoken about her in my blog entry on Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds and their genius marketing strategy that’s now hurting their reputation and ongoing legal battle against Justin Baldoni, but it was just a mere mention of her as she was once married to Reynolds many moons ago. We only mentioned her because she related to the arguments on Ryan Reynolds’ insecurities all throughout their union because she was more successful than him. After all, she was Black Widow.

The blonde starlet recently made headlines when she criticized an AI generated video that showcased Jewish celebrities, including her, condemning Kanye West’s Antisemitism. She told People magazine, ‘I am a Jewish woman who has no tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech of any kind. But I also firmly believe that the potential for hate speech multiplied by AI is a far greater threat than any one person who takes accountability for it. We must call out the misuse of AI, no matter its messaging, or we risk losing a hold on reality. I have unfortunately been a very public victim of AI.’ This wasn’t the first time Johansson criticized the use of AI. Last year, OpenAI used a voice that was very similar to hers for its GPT-4o voice-enabled chatbot despite Johansson declining the company’s request to use her voice.

Many have since criticized the actress allegedly for caring more about the use of AI rather than the cause itself, which is antisemitism, during the time where antisemitism is at its highest rates following the October 7 massacre and the Israel-Hamas conflict happening right now. I get that. The video itself was used for a good cause. But of the Jewish celebrities that were featured in the video, very few have actually spoken out about the Israel-Hamas conflict since the October 7 massacre. Celebrities that did speak up and show their support for the Jewish community following the October 7 events were Debra Messing, Jerry Seinfeld, David Schwimmer, Steven Spielberg, Gal Gadot, and…?

Though Johansson never spoke openly of the war that is happening right now between Israel and Hamas, she’d been very openly in support of Israel in the past. For instance, in 2014, she became a spokesmodel of SodaStream, an Israeli company that manufactures home fizzy drink machines in the illegal colony of Maaleh Adumim, built on land from which Palestinian Jahalin Bedouins were forcibly expelled. That same January, she quit her role as humanitarian ambassador for Oxfam, a global organization that works to end poverty and injustice, one that also supports Palestine and the people of Gaza. Israeli Prime Minuster Benjamin Netanyahu praised her for this very move. During his AIPAC speech, he said, ‘Everyone should know what the letters B-D-S really stand for: bigotry, dishonesty, and shame. And those who oppose BDS, like Scarlett Johansson, they should be applauded.’

Someone’s actions mean a lot more than their words. In this very case, Johansson’s actions spoke louder than her words ever could’ve. Her decision in doing so wasn’t done for monetary gain, but for a political stance. While Johansson hasn’t spoken in detail about any personal ties to Israel, she does have Jewish heritage, which may influence her perspective. Her mother, Melanie Sloan, is an Ashkenazi Jew, and Johansson has occasionally referenced her Jewish roots in previous interviews. Though she doesn’t publicly identify as religious, her cultural connection to Judaism may contribute to her views on Israel. Her collaboration with SodaStream wasn’t the first time she showed her support for Israel. In 2008, she refused to sign a major contract that asked her to participate in a boycott against. She said, ‘I am Jewish and no amount of money in the world will tempt me to go against Israel.’ She played a mother hiding a Jewish girl during Nazi Germany in the film ‘Jojo Rabbit’, and has expressed her Jewish identity and noted that her mother raised her with basic observance of Shabbat and holidays. 

And speaking of interviews and taking a stand, in 2021, Johansson criticized the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, saying she’d faced sexist questions and remarks at press conferences and is urging the industry to step back from the beleaguered association. In a statement to THR, the actress shared, ‘As an actor promoting a film, one is expected to participate in awards season by attending press conferences as well as awards shows. In the past, this has often meant facing sexist questions and remarks by certain HFPA members that bordered on sexual harassment. It is the exact reason why I, for many years, refused to participate in their conferences. The HFPA is an organization that was legitimized by the likes of Harvey Weinstein to amass momentum for Academy recognition and the industry followed suit. Unless there is necessary fundamental reform within the organization, I believe it is time that we take a step back from the HFPA and focus on the importance and strength of unity within our unions and the industry as a whole.’

Her comments came just as Mark Ruffalo, her longtime ‘Avengers’ co-star, became the first Hollywood A-lister to distance himself from the HFPA. In his own statement, he said, ‘It’s discouraging to see the HFPA, which has gained prominence and profited handsomely from their involvement with filmmakers and actors, resist the change that is being asked of them from many of the groups that have been most disenfranchised by their culture of secrecy and exclusion. Now is the time to step up and right the wrongs of the past. Our industry is embracing the opportunity for greater equality in this beautiful moment. It is not perfect and long overdo but it is clear what must happen and how. The Justice Movement is offering all of us, the HFPA, and every other entertainment entity, a good way forward. We should all follow suit. It is our audiences and our highest sense of decency that we are ultimately serving with these changes. They are both deserving.’

If you read my previous post, which i hope you did, and if you didn’t you can read it AFTER you finish reading this one, you’ll know that my opinion of Mark Ruffalo has changed since i found out he was pro-Palestine in the Israel-Hamas conflict. I don’t know how i can watch ‘13 Going On 30’ from now on. Nevertheless, at least he supports women, women’s rights, and women’s equality, and he was the first one to do so in such a cause. I’m only questioning why the rest of her ‘Avengers’ co-star didn’t join Ruffalo. After all, they all witnessed the sexism Johansson faced in the promotions of their joint superhero movies. And she’s not the only woman who’s faced such sexism. So did Anne Hathaway, Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and more.

While men are asked thought-provoking questions by interviewers, women are mostly asked about their dating lives, makeup, fashion, underwear, physical attributes and appearances, dieting, sexuality, and more. Simone Biles was even told to smile more by a reporter during one interview. I’ve been writing a heck of a lot about Blake Lively recently on this blog, and I also mentioned her quite a bit since her ‘It Ends With Us’ drama was overshadowed by her talent as an actress, and then with her ongoing legal battle with her co-star, director, and producer, Justin Baldoni. A lot of her behaviour has been questionable. Not just on set of the movie, during the promotional tour of the movie, and even now during the legal battle. I want to go back to her 2016 interview with Kjersti Flaa while promoting her movie, ‘Cafe Society’. During the interview Lively seemed to have gotten offended when Flaa congratulated her on her pregnancy even though she made it public by that point and was close to her due date. And then, because it’s a period movie where fashion is absolutely EVERYTHING when it comes to storytelling, Flaa asked, ‘Did you guys like wearing those clothes?’ To which Lively said, ‘Everyone wants to talk about the clothes but I wonder if they would ask the men about the clothes. It’s not just the women that have the clothes, but I feel like the women get the conversation.’ It’s also important to note that instead of talking to the reporter herself, Lively completely avoided her and instead spoke to her co-star, who joined in on the awkwardness.

That was a complete bullsh*t answer, and Lively being offended by the question was completely out of place. Men DO get asked about their fashion. But maybe I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt because women had been asked time and time again about what they wear on the red carpet rather than on what they’re actually promoting. In 2015, the hashtag #AskHerMore started an activism movement, which asked reporters to ask celebrities about more than what they were wearing. For that particular instance, the Flaa’s question did, in fact, make a lot of sense, and wasn’t meant to be sexist by any means. There was a particular time, however, where Lively was in the right. During the same time when she did her interview with Flaa, after she had her baby. When she attended Variety’s Power of Women event, where she was honoured for her work with the Child Rescue Coalition, working to tackle issues such as child pornography and sex trafficking, rather than being asked about her contribution to the cause, however, one reporter decided to ask Lively about her ‘go-to power outfit’. To which she responded, ‘Really? At this event, you’re asking me about my outfit? Seriously…would you ask a man that? I’m here so we become more aware, and that we change, and that we build women up. So, you can ask me another question.’ Maeve McDermott, a reporter from USA Today, witnessed this entire thing unfold, and described Lively’s response as furious and eloquent.

It’s like women aren’t allowed to express their emotions. It’s especially so when it comes to women expressing their anger and frustration. Anger is a viewed as dirty emotion to have as a woman. It’s uncouth, it’s too manly, it’s not sweet enough. Women are supposed to be nice, kind, good, generous, quiet, and pleasant to be around. As soon as we are not any of those things, we are negated, and told to stand down, to stop being so dramatic. And if they show any sort of emotion other than what’s expected, then they must be PMSing. That’s the only way that it would be acceptable for a woman to be angry – is though she was PMSing, or deranged, or mentally unstable.

I previously wrote a blog entry on Ariana Grande and the belittlement of women in their careers. This blog entry, in hindsight, is a continuation of that particular topic. In part 1, we spoke heavily on Grande’s journey to ‘Wicked’ and playing Glinda, a role she manifested she was 10 years old. This role, and the talent she showcased during this time, was somehow overshadowed by her personal life, particularly her divorce from Dalton Gomez, as well as her romance with her co-star, Ethan Slater. My question to this was, ‘Why do we even care?’ Society seems to find men to be more capable of doing good work, whereas women seem to be good to look a certain way, act a certain way, and even feel a certain way. Society seems to care about women’s personal lives rather than the actual work that they do, and no matter what they do, say, or neither do nor say, they’ll be judged regardless. Women aren’t allowed to demand better treatment, and if they do, they’ll be called a ‘bitch’ or a ‘psycho’. It could never be labeled as ‘passion’.

Jennifer Lopez once told The Hollywood Reporter, ‘I’ve always been fascinated by how much more well-behaved we have to be than men. I got a moniker of being ‘the diva,’ which I never felt I deserved  — which I don’t deserve  —  because I’ve always been a hard worker, on time, professional, and getting that label because you reach a certain amount of success…I was always fascinated by how I could see [a man] being late or being belligerent to a crew and it being totally acceptable; meanwhile, I would show up 15 minutes late and be berated.’ Lopez is someone who’s been in the industry for 30 years. She’s a veteran. We love her for her movies and music. She’s a risk-taker in many ways that include:

• Judging American Idol: Lopez’s team warned her that judging the show would end her movie career. 
• Acting in and producing Hustlers: Lopez didn’t get paid on the front end for her work on the movie, instead relying on the movie’s success for her earnings. 
• Breaking barriers: Lopez is considered one of the most influential Latin entertainers of her time, and has helped break barriers for Latino Americans in Hollywood. 
• Fashion and beauty: Lopez has influenced fashion and beauty trends through her red carpet fashion and personal style. 

Let’s not forget that she also financed ‘This Is Me…Now: A Love Story’ album and musical film when production, a $30 million deal for the project was pulled. Even Lopez’s own production partner Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas thought she was crazy to self-finance the project. At the time, Lopez was still married to Ben Affleck. Hence, most of the general public automatically assumed that the album was about her relationship with the actor-director, when in fact, it was about HER and her journey to self-love.

This is very telling. Jennifer Lopez is someone who’s been working for 30 years, and has no plans to slow down. Not only is she an actress and singer, but she’s also a dancer. And not only is she an actress, singer, and dancer, but she’s also an entrepreneur. And yet, the public still loves to scrutinize her for her personal life; mock her for her failed marriages and engagements. In 2025, we’re still talking about the fact that J.Lo had a total of 5 engagement rings much more than about her work and art.

When we speak of Scarlett Johansson, we can’t avoid speaking of Black Widow, the character she played the MCU universe. And no, this wasn’t the character that made her famous. She’s actually been working in the entertainment industry since she was 10 years old. The character finally got her own movie in 2021, 11 years after she was first introduced to us on-screen. Times were different. Hollywood was different. And most certainly, Marvel was different. For 10 years, more white men named Chris headlined Marvel movies than women and actors of color combined. It took 17 movies for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) to introduce a female villain. Cafe Blanchett played a villain in 2017’s ‘Thor: Rognarok’. It took 21 movies to debut a solo female lead, with Brie Larson taking the lead in 2019’s ‘Captain Marvel’, and then finally, Scarlett Johansson got to play lead in her own movie.

Usually characters in the MCU are introduced in a solo film before they join the big Avengers team-ups. But not Black Widow. In fact, her story arc in her own movie is a prequel. She died in ‘Avengers: Endgame’. Hollywood has only recently been investing in female-led superhero movies, which is actually so embarrassing. Other movies with female superheroes in leading roles are ‘Wonder Woman’, ‘Birds Of Prey’, ‘Supergirl’, ‘Elektra’, ‘Catwoman’, and ‘Kill Bill’. Fairly few of these movies failed to top box office charts. ‘Black Widow’, in particular, is considered to be a flop, as it generated only $379.8 million over a $288.5 million budget. Primarily, its failure was due due to its controversial hybrid release strategy, where it was simultaneously available in theaters and on Disney+ for a premium rental fee, leading to widespread piracy and impacting box office performance, alongside criticisms about the story itself being considered generic and lacking significant stakes for the MCU at that point in time. ‘The Marvels’, another Marvel female-led superheroes movie with Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel as the lead, did even worse when it was released in 2023, with a box office of $206.1 million over a $374 million budget. The movie was a sequel to ‘Captain Marvel’, and its failure was primarily due to a a perceived lack of quality control during production, with Disney CEO Bob Iger citing “too many sequels” and a lack of on-set supervision during the pandemic as contributing factors to the film’s poor performance; this comes amidst growing concerns about “superhero fatigue” among audiences, where viewers are becoming less interested in large-scale superhero movies. 

That might be true, but in general, Hollywood favours male-led movies, especially make-led superhero movies instead of female-lead ones. This could be due to a combination of historical industry norms, perceived audience demographics, and the traditional portrayal of superheroes as predominantly male characters in comic books, leading to a belief that female-led superhero films might not generate the same box office success as male-led ones; this is gradually changing, but still presents a significant challenge for female superhero movies to gain equal footing. The key components as you what the reasons might be are:

• Market research and perception: Historically, market research has indicated that the majority of superhero moviegoers are male, leading studios to prioritize male-led films based on perceived audience demand. 
• Established comic book characters: Most iconic superhero characters in popular comics are male, making it easier to adapt familiar narratives with male leads. 
• “Male gaze” and character portrayal: Critics argue that many female superhero characters are often designed with a “male gaze” in mind, sexualizing them more than focusing on their agency and power, which can deter female audiences. 
• Risk aversion in the industry: Studios might be hesitant to invest heavily in female-led superhero films due to the perception that they may not perform as well commercially, leading to a cycle of underrepresentation. 

In contrast, movies such as ‘Wonder Woman’ and ‘Captain Marvel’ have demonstrated that female-led superhero movies can achieve significant box office success, pushing for more diverse representation. With that said, there’s been an ongoing demand for female-led superhero movies to be made. Audiences, particularly female fans, are actively calling for more female superhero movies, leading studios to consider a wider range of characters. That demand for female-led superhero movies has been a recent phenomenon. ‘Kill Bill’, starring Uma Thurman, came out in 2004, and it was considered sensational, especially for that time. And even so, the movie, made by Quentin Tarantino, is the perfect example of a ‘male gaze’ mentioned earlier. There’s a female protagonist. She’s victimized in her wedding dress, carrying a baby, is shot in the head by the father of her baby, after a four-yeared comatose, she wakes up and sees that she has lost her baby.

Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow portrayal began at a time where female superheroes were the supporting characters. She was practically the only female superhero in the MCU. Between 2010 and 2019, she appeared in a total of 7 movies. Black Widow’s character has helped pave the way for other female superheroes. Historically, she was the first-ever female superheroes in DC Comics, and the most popular one. Ever since her debut in 1941, she’s been hailed a feminist icon. Her creator is William Moulton Marston, a psychologist and a feminist. He pictured her as an undisputed leader of the world, hence her portrayal as a woman of unparalleled power. With that being said, I think Black Widow was failed. She should’ve been the first female-led superhero rather than Captain Marvel, and she was actually supposed to. But creative differences, budgets, and availability stoped that from happening. Don’t get me wrong; ‘Captain Marvel’ was great. badass, if even say. But Black Widow was someone we’d known and loved for years. I personally felt like she was, in a way, my friend, and I wanted to get to know much sooner. ‘Captain Marvel’ came out of absolutely nowhere.

Johansson herself described Black Widow as being a ‘sexist stereotype’. As she stated, ‘In the beginning she was used as a kind of chess piece for her male counterparts.’ She’s defined by her lack of control over her powers, a trait that veers into stereotypes about overly emotional women who can’t help but destroy everything around them. Film critic Hoai-Tran Bui said in his movie review, ‘Sexism has always been an issue when depicting Natasha Romanoff (Black Widow). In ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’, for example … she considers herself a ‘monster’ because she does not have the ability to have children. She’s either been that sexy femme fatale or the maternal figure of the Avengers team. It goes to lengths to fill out and explore the backstory that had only been hinted at in previous movies. It allows Scarlett Johansson to depict Natasha Romanoff on her own, without her team, and figure out who she is as a character without them. It does a good job; it doesn’t do enough.’

If there’s any female superhero that deserved to be loved and recognized for her capabilities rather than her sexiness, it was Black Widow. And maybe under different circumstances, she would’ve been. Like, had there was no such thing as Covid-19. It was never the right time for Black Widow. It was always a timing issue for Black Widow – either in how she, as well as the actress portraying her, was viewed by society as a woman, or it was a circumstantial-based failure. No matter the case, society failed her. Johansson said herself that the solo ‘Black Widow’ movie couldn’t have been made a decade ago because of how she was viewed by society – simply as being sexy. The film industry was not yet ready for a female-led superhero film on such a large scale, with the character’s portrayal in earlier Marvel movies like ‘Iron Man 2’ often being overly sexualized and lacking the depth needed for a standalone narrative; additionally, the Marvel Cinematic Universe itself was still developing and establishing its core characters, making a solo Black Widow film less of a priority at that time. Johansson explained, ‘For anyone who said to me, ‘Oh, this [Black Widow film] should’ve happened five or 10 years ago,’ I’m like, it would not have been as substantial. We just would not have been able to do it. This film is happening now as a result of what’s going on in the zeitgeist, and I think it’s pretty cool.’

The failure of the solo ‘Black Widow’ movie disn’t come unnoticed. In 2021, Johansson sued Disney because she believed the empire breached her contract by releasing ‘Black Widow’ on Disney+ simultaneously with its theatrical release. Johansson claimed that this decision reduced her potential earnings because her salary was based on the movie’s box office. And rightfully so. Her contract stated that the movie would only be released in theaters. Johansson argued that the same-day streaming release cost her valuable box office bonuses. This begs the question, however: would a male-led superhero released at the same time be treated the same?

During one of the most sexist interviews she’d ever encountered, where she was asked what type of underwear she wore in preparation for her role as Black Widow by Jerry Penacoli, Johansson responded by asking him, ‘Since when did people start asking each other intricacies about their underwear?’ The interviewer, after finding it hard to get words out, then asked her if she found the question ‘inappropriate’. She asked, ‘To ask someone what kind of underpants they wear?’ He then denied he ever asked that. In another interview, after being asked about her dieting, Johansson asked Robert Downey Jr. who played Iron Man and sat next to her during the interview, ‘How come you get the really interesting existential question and I get the rabbit food question?’ That, in itself, is the million dollar question. In contrast, a reporter asked Downey Jr. about how Tony Stark started off as a very egotistical character but eventually learned how to be a team-player, before questioning how he approached this role as an actor.

In the past 15 years, Scarlett Johansson has become the queen of the sexist shut-down. She’s become no stranger to a misogynistic comment or two but, thankfully, she’s not afraid to put a stop to them, either. Her resilience is what’s made her so respected in her industry. As she told Marie Claire in 2017, ‘It’s always an uphill battle and fight. My experience with my close female friends and family is that the struggle is real for everybody. Just because I’m the top-grossing actress of all time does not mean I’m the highest paid. I’ve had to fight for everything that I have. It’s such a fickle and political industry. Everyone has been discriminated against or harassed. Sexism is real.’

Yes, sexism is real, and it doesn’t just hold in the world of celebrity and entertainment; but ‘real life’ and regular people as well. Sexism in the workplace, specifically when applied to brand promotion, refers to the practice of using advertising and marketing strategies that perpetuate harmful gender stereotypes, often portraying women as objects or solely focused on their appearance, rather than highlighting their capabilities and intelligence, which can contribute to a discriminatory work environment and limit opportunities for women in the industry. Women are often times objectified as being ‘sexy’, and that there’s all there is to them other than being caregivers in a household environment. Aspects of sexism include:

• Objectification of women: Using women’s bodies as the primary selling point in ads, often with little relation to the product itself. 
• “Femvertising” pitfalls: Marketing solely focused on appealing to women through stereotypical feminine tropes, often neglecting their diverse needs and interests. 
• Male gaze: We’ve talked about this before. Designing ads primarily from a male perspective, portraying women as pleasing men rather than addressing their own desires. 
• Gendered roles: Reinforcing traditional gender roles by depicting women as caregivers, homemakers, or only in domestic settings. 

Often times, women are seen as angry and emotional when they demand respect; respect that’s very much given to men. Time and time again, women have to continue spending time and energy to even feel like they’re treated fairly. It’s a sad reality, but it’s a reality nonetheless. If there’s anything we can learn from Scarlett Johansson, it’s that to never stop fighting. Never be afraid to seem angry or emotional. Never stop demanding to be taken seriously. For if you do, things will continue staying the same in the treatment of women, and that’s just unacceptable. Women are more than just caretakers. Women are more than just pretty faces. Women are more just ‘sexy’.

PERIOD.