Taika Waititi Anoints Scarlett Johansson The “Star Of The Decade”

3 minute read

By Riley Jones (@moviemanjones)

Often when stars work together for the first time, they leave with a new appreciation for one another and how they approach their craft, which is exactly how Taika Waititi felt after working with Jojo Rabbit co-star, Scarlett Johansson.

During a recent interview with THR, the quirky director discussed his newfound respect for the actress and why he believes, based on her body of work over the past ten years, that Johansson is unquestionably the “Star of the Decade.”

I’ve always been interested in people who keep others guessing but also people who surprise themselves and work to keep themselves interested. And I’m definitely biased, but Scarlett’s performance in my film feels like that. She’s very caring and interested in people and has a very sharp sense of humor, and those are qualities she played up as Rosie in Jojo. I would love to see her in more smart comedies — not the broad stuff, but something with intelligence behind it. She has a great sense of irony and sarcasm that works well in this genre.

Source: Screenshot via Fox Searchlight Pictures

Waititi went on to recount a time when he was struggling with some dialogue on the set of Jojo Rabbit and how the actress reminded him not to worry because they are all in this together:

One day while shooting, I was having trouble with some of Scarlett’s dialogue and I was working on the script. We were all sitting there and 15 minutes went by. In those situations, people usually start shifting around and getting worried because there’s always a panic to keep moving on set. It can be hard to remind yourself to take the time and make sure you’re getting what you need when you’re filming. But in that moment, Scarlett said to me, “You’re not coming back to this set ever again. This is the only chance we have to do it. We’re here. Everyone is dressed with their makeup on, and all the crew is here too, so let’s not rush it because we’re worried about a schedule thing. If we’re trying to get it right, then let’s get it right. What’s another 10 minutes?” It was cool to have an ally.

Source: Screenshot via Fox Searchlight Pictures

Over the past decade, the 36-year-old actress’ films have grossed nearly $13 billion at the box office and although a majority of that is thanks to her now iconic role as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Johansson has also appeared in a handful of other commercially successful films, like The Jungle Book, Sing, and Lucy. Not only that, as Waititi alluded to above, the actress continues to “keep people guessing” with roles in smaller projects like Jojo Rabbit, Under the Skin, Chef, and the Golden Globes nominated movie, Marriage Story.

What are your thoughts on Taika’s comments? Is Johannson really the “Star of the Decade” or do you believe that honor should go to someone else? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: THR

Riley Jones (@moviemanjones)

Contributor

Riley is the Managing Editor of Goliath. When he's not at the movie theatre or binging some new tv series, he likes to spend his time shooting hoops and play MTG. He doesn't like 'Breaking Bad,' loves 'The Simpsons,' hates mayonnaise, and has been repping the Toronto Raptors since '95. Follow him on IG and Twitter @moviemanjones.