Scarlett Johansson names her favourite movies of all time
Her success may have come partly as a result of her time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but make no mistake, Scarlett Johansson is one of the greatest indie actors in contemporary American cinema. Rubbing shoulders with other such female Hollywood icons as Meryl Strep, Sandra Bullock, Michelle Williams and Viola Davis, Johansson has delivered some of this century’s greatest performances.
Rising to stardom in the late 1990s, it wasn’t until the turn of the new millennium that Johansson would truly find her feet, collaborating with Joel Coen for a bit part in the crime drama The Man Who Wasn’t There before taking a leading role in Terry Zwigoff’s coming of age indie flick Ghost World, both released in 2001. Yet, it was only two years later, at the mere age of 17, that she would take the industry by storm in Sofia Coppola’s Lost in Translation.
Appearing beside the comedy veteran Bill Murray, Johansson gave a performance way beyond her years in the fragile drama that told the story of two lost souls who cross paths in Tokyo, Japan. Nominated for ‘Best Picture’, Coppola walked away with an Oscar for ‘Best Original Screenplay’, whilst Johansson was scandalously left out of proceedings entirely, despite her co-star making the cut.
Still, her success in Coppola’s indie drama catapulted her to great contemporary success, going on to work with such filmmakers as Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Glazer, Spike Jonze, Noah Baumbach, Taika Waititi and Wes Anderson, among many others. As a result of such collaborations and her admittedly beloved role in the MCU as Black Widow, Johansson has attracted many fans eager to hear her point of view on the world of pop culture.
Johansson gave fans just this in 2023, stating her four favourite movies of all time in an interview with Letterboxd. Picking an eclectic range of films, her first goes to the somewhat obscure 1958 Morton DaCosta flick Auntie Mame, starring Rosalind Russell and Peggy Cass. Telling the story of an orphan whose life is thrown into disarray when they are sent to live with their eccentric aunt, the film was nominated for six Academy Awards, including ‘Best Picture’.
Her next choice is far more recognisable, choosing the 1993 romantic comedy Groundhog Day, starring her Lost in Translation co-star Bill Murray. Helmed by Harold Ramis, the film is often talked about as being among the greatest comedy movies of all time, telling the story of a news reporter who begins to experience one day in his life over and over again until he learns a valuable moral lesson.
Moving onto musicals now, Johansson’s third choice is the vibrant Stephan Elliott flick The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert from 1994. With an all-star cast that includes the likes of Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving and Terrance Stamp, the film tells the story of two drag performers and a transgender woman travelling across the Australian desert in order to play a unique gig.
Bookending her list is the blockbuster classic Terminator 2: Judgment Day from the king of the box office, James Cameron. Helping to further establish Arnold Schwarzenegger as a bonafide star, the sequel to the 1984 favourite turns the titular villainous cyborg into the hero, sent back in time by the human rebellion in order to protect a young boy from danger.
Take a look at the full list of Scarlett Johansson’s favourite movies below.
Scarlett Johansson’s favourite movies:
- The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Stephan Elliott, 1994)
- Auntie Mame (Morton DaCosta, 1958)
- Groundhog Day (Harold Ramis, 1993)
- Terminator 2: Judgment Day (James Cameron, 1991)
