Scarlett Ingrid Johansson was born on November 22, 1984, in New York City. Her mother, Melanie Sloan, is a producer, and her father, Karsten Olaf Johansson, is an architect. She has a sister, Vanessa Johansson, also an actress; a brother, Adrian Johansson; and a twin brother, Hunter Johansson. She also had an older half-brother, Christian Johansson, who has since passed.
Johansson began her acting career as a child, appearing in off-Broadway plays. Her film debut was in North (1994). She gained early recognition for her roles in Manny & Lo (1996), which earned her an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Lead Female.
Johansson’s breakthrough role came in The Horse Whisperer (1998). She achieved further critical acclaim for her performances in Ghost World (2001) and Lost in Translation (2003), for which she won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress. Her transition to more adult roles solidified her position as a leading actress.
Johansson is widely known for her portrayal of Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She first appeared in Iron Man 2 (2010) and reprised the role in The Avengers (2012), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Captain America: Civil War (2016), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), and Black Widow (2021), also serving as an executive producer on the latter.
Some of Johansson’s most popular and critically acclaimed films include: