Marvel Films, Movie News

Black Widow’s Scarlett Johansson Talks About The Development of Her Character And Stepping Away From Sexualizing Natasha

After several date changes, Black Widow is finally hitting the big screen. With the movie so close to being seen by the masses, we’re finally gaining set information from outlets such as Collider. In an interview with the media site, Scarlett Johansson talked about her character’s development – as well as the progression we’ve seen since her first premiere as the Black Widow in Iron Man 2 in 2010.

There is a sort of sexualization of superheroes. How did that affect Black Widow?

“Yeah. It definitely has changed and I think part of that change has probably — it’s hard because I’m inside it, but probably a lot of that is actually from me too. I’ll be 35 years old and I’m a mom and my life is different. Obviously, 10 years have passed and things have happened and I have a much different, more evolved understanding of myself. As a woman, I’m in a different place in my life, you know? And I felt more forgiving of myself, as a woman, and not — sometimes probably not enough. I’m more accepting of myself, I think.”

Johansson continued:

“All of that is related to that move away from the kind of hyper-sexualization of this character and, I mean, you look back at Iron Man 2 and while it was really fun and had a lot of great moments in it, the character is so sexualized, you know? Really talked about like she’s a piece of something, like a possession or a thing or whatever — like a piece of ass, really. And Tony even refers to her as something like that at one point. What does he say?

“I want some.”

“I want some.” Yeah and at one point calls her a piece of meat and maybe at that time that actually felt like a compliment. You know what I mean? Because my thinking was different. Maybe I even would have, you know, my own self-worth was probably measured against that type of comment or, like a lot of young women, you come into your own and you understand your own self-worth. It’s changing now. Now people, young girls, are getting a much more positive message, but it’s been incredible to be a part of that shift and be able to come out the other side and be a part of that old story, but also progress. Evolve. I think it’s pretty cool.”

So, heroines haven’t always been empowered in stories, but we’ve been demanding a lot more now of heroines and empowerment means different things to different people now. I was just wondering what empowerment, to you, how has it changed since you started playing Natasha and how is it interpreted in this version of Natasha?

“Well, I think that actually goes back to the other question about this hyper-sexualization thing because I think actually Natasha uses her sexuality as a means to feel, to sort of manipulate a situation and then be coquettish and sly and then she’s going to take your legs out, right? She’s going to be seductive in this way, and that’s her power. Her power’s in her sexuality, and then that changed over time, right? Her strength was actually her vulnerability. That’s the kind of place that we’re in now and then in Endgame she sacrifices herself out of love. She saves her friend. She saves everyone. And I think that just being in that kind of headspace and being able to make that decision, that selfless act is so incredibly powerful. It’s amazing that she could be in that place to do that.”

Are you excited to see Black Widow? What do you think of the change in Natasha’s personification in the MCU, as well as what this means for women going forward in not only Marvel films, but comic book movies in general?

Source: Collider

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