Scarlett Johansson Knows How To Say No

Jurassic World Rebirth opens in July, so get ready to see a lot of Scarlett Johansson between now and then. She’s InStyle Magazine’s cover story this month and segments from the interview are popping up all over. What do you expect for the second-highest grossing actor of all time? With more than $14 billion gross worldwide, only Samuel L. Jackson pulls in more than ScarJo. (Suck it, Tom Cruise.)

That number gives her the power to say no to requests from Universal Pictures when few people, let alone women, would dare. But she did dare when the movie studio asked her to join Instagram to promote the new film. Scarlett is one of the few A-list celebrities who has no social media footprint, and she plans to keep it that way.

I get a lot of pressure to join social media. [It does make me think]… is there a way where I could do this and stay true to who I am? It didn’t feel like I could.

It’s a response that comes off as pretentious. But social media being what it is these days, a breeding ground for toxic fandoms and parasocial relationships, who can blame her?

Besides, Jurassic World Rebirth is a tent pole movie. I’m sure it will do fine without her establishing an awkward social media presence based on promotional materials and probably involving some kid-friendly recipes a publicist forces her to post to make her “relatable.”

There’s very little that’s “relatable” about Scarlett Johansson. And I say that as someone who grew up about five miles away from her. What a difference a bridge makes.

ScarJo also knows how to say no to MCU fans and their theories about how her character, Black Widow, can find her way back into The Avengers franchise.

“Natasha is dead. She is dead. She’s dead. Okay?” She knows what you Marvel fans are chirping. “They just don’t want to believe it. They’re like, ‘But she could come back!’ Look, I think the balance of the entire universe is held in her hand. We’re going to have to let it go. She saved the world. Let her have her hero moment.”

Seems harsh, but it’s respectable. Acting can be a feast or famine career. In this era of unnecessary reboots, sequels, and prequels, it’s almost refreshing to hear an actor say, “I’m not going back to that character.” Even as she keeps a 32-year-old franchise going with her participation in its next installment.

Johansson has earned her fair share of criticisms but she’s always known how to stand up for herself. She took on ChatGPT over unauthorized use of a voice that sounded an awful lot like hers for their chatbot. She also famously sued The House Of Mouse over the streaming release of Black Widow during the pandemic.

Scarlett Johansson continues to be her own best advocate, so it’s probably better for everyone that she avoids the viper’s pit of social media. If Universal’s dinosaurs can’t make her do it, no one can.