‘Paper Tiger’ Star Scarlett Johansson Rejected a Saudi Crown Prince’s Money for a Ridley Scott Biopic, and the Movie Never Got Made

Scarlett Johansson has never been shy about taking a stand, and that willingness has shaped some of the most talked-about moments of her career. The actress drew widespread industry support when she took on Disney over what she believed she was owed for Marvel’s ‘Black Widow’, and she ultimately got what she was asking for.

Not every decision has earned her praise, though. She faced major backlash after being announced to play a transgender man in ‘Rub & Tug’, initially defending the casting before stepping away from the project and apologizing, and she was also accused of whitewashing after taking the lead role in ‘Ghost in the Shell’.

One story from her career is now resurfacing as a reminder of how firm she can be when her principles are on the line. Back in 2018, Johansson reportedly refused to move forward on a promising biopic once she learned that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was among those lining up to finance it.

The film looked like a major awards contender on paper. Johansson was set to play Lynsey Addario, a Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist known for covering conflict zones and human rights issues, in an adaptation of her memoir ‘It’s What I Do’.

Warner Bros. picked up the 2015 memoir, and Ridley Scott was attached to direct. Addario’s career has taken her to the front lines in places like Afghanistan, Iraq, Darfur and Libya, giving the story the kind of real-world weight that often attracts awards attention.

The surprising behind-the-scenes detail came out during a Facebook Live interview between Addario and the New York Times’ Nicholas Kristof. Addario revealed that the crown prince was among the initial group of funders interested in financing the film, but Johansson firmly refused once she found out.

According to Addario, the actress objected because of his role in perpetuating the war in Yemen and the imprisonment of women. Addario also stressed that this happened before the killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, in which bin Salman is suspected of having been involved.

Newsweek reported that the crown prince was removed from the project shortly after Johansson spoke with the producers. Addario made it clear she shared the actress’ view, saying she obviously didn’t want him associated with the film and was thankful he wasn’t.

Kristof described the attempted involvement as what appeared to be a public relations effort to tie the crown prince to celebrated journalism and an empowered female journalist. The irony, he noted, was that this came around the same time Saudi Arabia’s own prominent journalist was about to be killed.

Addario said she never met bin Salman personally and viewed his interest as part of a broader charm campaign meant to convince the West that he cared about American culture. Johansson’s refusal effectively shut that door before it could open.

First trailer for James Gray's ‘PAPER TIGER’, starring Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller.

The film follows 2 brothers pursuing the American Dream that lands them in a mafia scheme that terrorizes their family.

In theaters on November 13. pic.twitter.com/W4n0RDt3Vj

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) August 10, 2026

The downside of the standoff is that the film never came to life. Far Out Magazine notes that the planned biopic fell apart and still hasn’t been made with Johansson or anyone else, while Koimoi reported that the project appears to have been shelved, with neither Scott nor Johansson commenting on it.

Financing has remained a recurring challenge for Johansson. While promoting her directorial debut ‘Eleanor the Great’, starring June Squibb as a grieving 94-year-old, she told The Hollywood Reporter that the indie took forever to get made because original stories with unconventional leads are so difficult to fund.

Looking back, the episode adds another layer to her reputation as a star willing to walk away from big opportunities. Whether audiences see it as principled or costly, it’s clear Johansson decided some money simply wasn’t worth taking.

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