Scarlett Johansson Addresses Backlash After Agreeing To Play Trans Character

Scarlett Johansson has finally addressed the backlash she received after saying yes to playing a trans character last year and admitted that she completely mishandled the whole situation.

Speaking with Vanity Fair, the 35-year-old Hollywood actress revealed that she should have been more sensitive about the issue and noted that she learned a lot about trans people in the process. The “Jojo Rabbit” star further stated that her initial reaction should have been thoughful because she did not know how the trans community would feel about other heterosexual actors playing transgenders for the big screen or small screen.

The people in the conversation were Jeffrey Tambor (“Transparent”), Jared Leto (“Dallas Buyers Club”) and Felicity Huffman (“Transamerica”).

The actress kept on insisting that she “misjudged” the whole issue and explained how it was such a hard time for her and her loved ones.

“I misjudged that. It was a hard time. It was like a whirlwind. To feel like you are kind of tone-deaf to something is not a good feeling,” Johansson said.

For the uninitiated, last year it was announced that the “Avengers: Endgame” actress will portray the character of Dante “Tex” Gill in the movie “Rub And Tug,” which revolves around a transgender man who became infamous in the 1970s for running a prostitution ring inside massage parlors.

As soon as it was announced that Johansson will be playing the character, it led to massive outrage on social media. Famous trans actresses Jamie Clayton and Trace Lysette publicly slammed Hollywood for its rejection of transgender actors for such roles.

Johansson issued a statement after their remarks that they should ask the same questions to the representatives of Tambor, Leto and Huffman. The statement spread like wildfire on the internet and made the issue even more complicated, resulting in Johansson’s exit from the movie.

Later in the interview, she also opened up about defending filmmaker Woody Allen, who has been accused of sexually harassing his adoptive daughter Dylan Farrow. Johansson noticed that she felt more “vulnerable” after her comments on Allen because she knew that those remarks would be “picked apart” in many ways.

“That, to me, doesn’t seem very progressive at all. That seems scary,” Johansson said.

The star is busy promoting her upcoming movie “Marriage Story” these days. The film has been described as one of the best movies of 2019 and a frontrunner for a Best Picture nod at the 92nd Academy Awards.

The critics have particularly cited the performances of Johansson and Adam Driver as the driving force of the movie. According to many critics, the “Her” actress is going to get her first-ever Oscar nomination with this film.

The movie is scheduled to hit theaters on Dec. 6.