Scarlett Johansson’s Best Roles

Scarlett Johansson has built a remarkable career, evolving from a highly praised child actor into one of the most successful and recognizable global superstars. She achieved a rare kind of modern stardom, balancing her massive box-office appeal with a consistent body of critically acclaimed work in independent and dramatic films. Her long-running role as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe made her one of the highest-grossing actors of all time, cementing her status as a blockbuster icon.

At the same time, she has never shied away from complex, character-driven projects, collaborating with some of the world’s most respected directors. Her incredible talent was famously recognized when she received two Academy Award nominations in the same year for two vastly different performances. This dual career path, as both a superhero and a dramatic powerhouse, makes her one of the most versatile and celebrated actors of her generation.

‘Don Jon’ (2013)

In this directorial debut from Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson plays Barbara Sugarman. She is a beautiful and seemingly perfect woman who embodies the romantic comedy ideal of a girlfriend. Her character is obsessed with finding her own Prince Charming and has a very specific, movie-inspired vision of how a relationship should work.

The film’s protagonist, a man addicted to online pornography, falls head over heels for Barbara and believes she is the woman of his dreams. Their relationship explores the clash between his unrealistic expectations shaped by adult films and her unrealistic expectations shaped by Hollywood romances. It’s a sharp and funny look at intimacy in the modern world.

‘The Horse Whisperer’ (1998)

In one of her most significant breakout roles as a child actor, Johansson gives a mature performance as Grace MacLean. She is a young teenager who is left traumatized and with a partially amputated leg after a horrific riding accident that also severely injures her beloved horse, Pilgrim. The role required her to convey deep emotional and physical pain.

The story follows Grace’s determined mother, who, refusing to give up on the horse or her daughter, transports them both to a remote Montana ranch. There, she seeks the help of a gifted horse trainer known as a “horse whisperer” to heal the animal and, in turn, her child. The film is a sweeping drama about healing and reconnection.

‘Iron Man 2’ (2010)

This film marked Scarlett Johansson’s first appearance as Natasha Romanoff, the formidable spy also known as Black Widow, a role that would come to define a major part of her career. She is introduced undercover as Natalie Rushman, a stunningly competent new personal assistant hired to work for Tony Stark at Stark Industries.

Her true identity is revealed later in the film when she shows off her incredible combat skills. She is a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent sent by Nick Fury to keep an eye on Tony Stark and assess his suitability for the Avengers Initiative. This debut set the stage for her to become a foundational member of the iconic superhero team.

‘Vicky Cristina Barcelona’ (2008)

Johansson plays Cristina, a free-spirited and sexually uninhibited American woman spending a summer in Spain with her best friend, Vicky. Cristina is impulsive and open to new experiences, unsure of what she wants in life but eager to discover it. Her adventurous nature contrasts with her friend’s more cautious and traditional approach to love.

The film follows the two friends as they are both drawn into the orbit of a charismatic and passionate painter. Their situation becomes even more complicated with the arrival of the artist’s fiery and emotionally unstable ex-wife. The story is a witty and sun-soaked exploration of love, art, and romantic entanglement.

‘Sing’ (2016)

In this popular animated musical, Johansson voices Ash, a teenage crested porcupine with a talent for punk rock music. She is initially part of a duo with her arrogant boyfriend, who dismisses her songwriting abilities. Her character is a creative and independent spirit who is trying to find her own voice.

The movie is set in a world of anthropomorphic animals and centers on a singing competition staged by a koala trying to save his struggling theater. Ash enters the competition and, after breaking up with her boyfriend, embarks on a solo career. She ultimately brings the house down with a powerful and original rock anthem.

‘Ghost World’ (2001)

In this beloved cult classic, Johansson plays Rebecca, one of two cynical best friends who have just graduated from high school. She and her friend Enid spend their summer aimlessly wandering through their suburban town, critiquing pop culture and observing the strange adults around them with detached amusement. Rebecca is the more pragmatic of the two, slowly drifting toward a more conventional adult life.

The film is a sharp and funny adaptation of the graphic novel of the same name. The girls’ friendship is put to the test when Enid pranks a lonely, middle-aged record collector and then forms an unlikely and complicated friendship with him. It’s a poignant and relatable story about the awkward transition out of adolescence.

‘The Jungle Book’ (2016)

Johansson lends her distinctive voice to the character of Kaa, the massive and ancient python Mowgli encounters in the jungle. In this visually stunning live-action adaptation, the character was reimagined as a female, and Johansson’s performance is hypnotic and menacing. She uses her calm, seductive voice to lure the man-cub into a deadly trance.

As Kaa coils around Mowgli, she tells him the story of his origins and how he came to be in the jungle, providing key exposition for the audience. The scene is one of the most memorable in the film, combining breathtaking visual effects with a chilling vocal performance that is both beautiful and terrifying.

‘The Man Who Wasn’t There’ (2001)

In this black-and-white neo-noir film from the Coen Brothers, a young Scarlett Johansson plays Birdy Abundas. She is the teenage daughter of a friend of the main character, a quiet and unassuming barber. Birdy is a talented pianist with dreams of becoming a professional concert musician.

The story follows the chain-smoking barber as his life slowly unravels after he tries to blackmail his wife’s boss to get money to invest in a new business. He becomes a patron to Birdy, paying for her to audition for a renowned piano teacher, but his entanglement in a web of crime leads to tragic and unexpected consequences for everyone.

‘Match Point’ (2005)

In this dark thriller, Johansson plays Nola Rice, a struggling American actress trying to make it in London. She is engaged to a wealthy young man and quickly becomes the object of desire for her fiancé’s brother-in-law, a former tennis pro who has married into the rich family. Her character is alluring, vulnerable, and ultimately tragic.

She embarks on a passionate and secret affair with the man, which threatens to destroy his comfortable and carefully constructed life. The film is a tense morality tale about luck, ambition, and the extreme lengths a person will go to in order to protect their social standing. The story takes a shocking and dark turn as the affair escalates.

‘Lost in Translation’ (2003)

This film earned Johansson widespread critical acclaim and established her as a major dramatic talent. She plays Charlotte, a young philosophy graduate who is feeling disconnected and lonely while staying in Tokyo with her celebrity-photographer husband. She spends her days wandering the city in a state of quiet melancholy.

At her luxury hotel, she forms an unexpected and meaningful bond with Bob Harris, an aging American movie star who is also feeling adrift. The film beautifully captures their platonic yet deeply intimate connection as they navigate the foreign culture and their own feelings of existential confusion together.

‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ (2014)

Johansson reprises her role as Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, in this film, which gives her character a much more central and complex part to play. The movie is structured like a 1970s political thriller and sees Natasha teaming up with Captain America after the spy organization S.H.I.E.L.D. is revealed to be compromised.

Forced to go on the run without the support of any official agency, the two must rely on each other to uncover a vast conspiracy. The film delves deeper into Natasha’s character, highlighting her spy skills, her moral ambiguity, and her difficulty with trust as she confronts threats from her past.

‘Marriage Story’ (2019)

In a performance that earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, Johansson plays Nicole Barber. She is a talented actress who is initiating a divorce from her husband, a successful avant-garde theater director. The film chronicles the painful and complicated process of their separation, which begins amicably but becomes increasingly contentious.

The movie offers an intimate and devastating look at a marriage falling apart. It explores the personal and legal battles that ensue as Nicole and her husband navigate the divorce system with their young son caught in the middle. Johansson’s performance is raw and powerful, capturing the anger, love, and heartbreak of her character.

‘Jojo Rabbit’ (2019)

Johansson won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Rosie Betzler. She is the warm, vibrant, and secretly anti-Nazi mother of a ten-year-old German boy named Jojo during the final years of World War II. While her son is a devoted member of the Hitler Youth, Rosie is secretly hiding a Jewish teenage girl in their home.

Her character is the moral center of this anti-hate satire. She tries to instill kindness and empathy in her son, teaching him about love and humanity in a world consumed by hatred. Rosie is a portrait of quiet courage and joyful defiance, and her performance provides the film with its most powerful and emotional moments.

‘Her’ (2013)

In a truly unique and acclaimed performance, Scarlett Johansson provides the voice for Samantha, a highly advanced computer operating system with artificial intelligence. She is purchased by a lonely, heartbroken writer named Theodore, and she quickly evolves from a simple assistant into a funny, insightful, and complex consciousness.

The film follows the unconventional love story that develops between Theodore and Samantha. Johansson never appears on screen, yet she creates a full, rich, and emotionally resonant character using only her voice. Her performance is a remarkable achievement that explores profound ideas about love, technology, and what it means to be human.

‘The Prestige’ (2006)

In this intricate thriller about rival magicians, Johansson plays Olivia Wenscombe. She is the beautiful and intelligent stage assistant to one of the magicians, Robert Angier. As Angier’s rivalry with a fellow illusionist named Alfred Borden escalates into a dangerous obsession, Olivia becomes a key pawn in their feud.

She is sent by Angier to work for Borden in an attempt to steal the secrets of his greatest trick. However, her loyalties become complicated when she develops feelings for Borden, and she finds herself caught in the middle of their bitter and destructive game of one-upmanship. Her character is central to the film’s many twists and turns.

Let us know which Scarlett Johansson performance is your favorite in the comments section.