Long before she became the face of one of the biggest franchises in cinema history, Scarlett Johansson was a child actor with a rare combination of talent and presence that Hollywood couldn't ignore. Born on November 22, 1984, in New York City, Johansson made her film debut at just nine years old in North (1994). But it was her role in The Horse Whisperer (1998) that marked her as a talent to watch, earning her critical acclaim at just 14. By the time she starred in Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation (2003), Johansson had already proven she could hold her own against seasoned actors, delivering a performance that was both vulnerable and magnetic, and earning her a BAFTA Award.
Johansson's career is a masterclass in range and reinvention. She has tackled everything from indie dramas like Marriage Story and Under the Skin to blockbuster spectacle as Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe—a role that made her one of the highest-grossing actresses of all time. Her portrayal of Black Widow became so iconic that she finally got her own standalone film, Black Widow (2021), after years of fan demand. Beyond acting, Johansson has lent her voice to animated features, performed on Broadway, and earned a Tony Award for her role in A View from the Bridge. With a career that spans genres, mediums, and generations, Scarlett Johansson remains one of the most versatile and enduring stars of her era.