'It Was Just a Really Harsh Time' — Scarlett Johansson Reflects on Being 'Pigeonholed' and 'Pulled Apart' for Her Appear

Scarlett Johansson is opening up about being “pigeonholed” and “pulled apart” for her appearance in the early days of her career, which she notes was a “socially acceptable” thing to do at that time. “It was such another time too,” Johansson told CBS Sunday Morning during an interview that aired on April 12. “I think growing up in the industry, and then being a woman, a 20-something-year-old woman in the early 2000s, in the spotlight in general, it was just a really harsh time. Women were just pulled apart for how they looked in a way that was socially acceptable at the time.” The A-List actress, who is the second highest grossing performer in film history, reflected on how important beauty standards were for women in the industry when she broke in the early 2000s. “It was tough. There was a lot placed on how women looked,” she explained. “What was offered at that time for women my age, as far as acting roles or opportunities, was much slimmer than it is now.” In the early 2000s, Johansson starred in the likes of Lost in Translation, Girl with a Pearl Earring, and The Island. Johansson put an emphasis on the fact that there are “much more empowering roles” available to women in the

Apr 13, 2026 → Apr 13, 2026