What Goes Around Comes Around
In 2007, Scarlett Johansson starred the video for this Justin Timberlake single, adding ‘music video love interest’ to her CV.
While the song itself received a positive response and is generally considered to be a pseudo-sequel to JT’s mega-hit Cry Me A River , the music video is its own success.
Directed by Smells Like Teen Spirit video director Samuel Bayer and boasting impressive visual work, a mega car crash and some serious dramatic acting, the video was nominated for Video Of The Year at the MTV Video Music Awards.
It also features lots of shots of JT and ScarJo smooching in bed.
Natch.
Red carpet grope reaction
At the 2006 Golden Globes ceremony, Johansson was inappropriately felt up by E!'s red carpet interviewer, fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi, all while Ryan Seacrest looked on in shock.
While that moment may not be a high point in Johansson's career, her incredibly mature attitude towards the incident afterwards was certainly impressive.
Whereas many would react with anger and outrage, Johansson simply said: "I'm not mad at him. I think he's a guy that's starting his TV career and he's making a bit of an exciting moment for himself. I can't be angry at him."
Spider attack Eight Legged Freaks (2002)
As far as B-movie schlock horror films go, they don’t get much B-movier or schlockier than Eight Legged Freaks , but it’s still an enjoyable flick if you’re willing to go along with the fun.
And go along with the fun is certainly something Johansson agreed to do when she signed on the role of Sheriff’s daughter Ashley Parker who, at one point has a giant spider crawl in through her bedroom window like some sort of arachnid Dawson and attack her, pinning her against the wall with a constant spray of web fluid.
Gross.
Tattoo defiance
When ScarJo showed off a new 'Lucky You' horseshoe tattoo, celebrity blogging sites went into overdrive, boggling at the design and asking if it was a drunken mistake.
And yet it was very much intentional. The tattoo was designed by Fuzi Ubtpk, a Parisian artist who specialises in a self-described “ignorant style” swaps out traditional designs for bold, captivating images.
Boner alert Ghost World (2001)
This is one of those low-key unassuming cult films that just so happens to be filled with endless quotes to define your own teenage years.
Johansson’s disillusioned Rebecca, friend of the equally disillusioned Enid, gets many, many moments to shine but this one exchange is superb.
Speaking of a guy near them, Rebecca tells Enid “He gives me, like, a total boner”, but Enid counters by saying “He's, like, the biggest idiot of all time”.
It’s only when the guy that comes over to them both and invites them to see some reggae that Rebecca admits defeat.
Anywhere I Lay My Head
Isn’t it just so sickening when hugely talented people try other things and turn out to be hugely talented at that too?
In 2008, Johansson released her own album entitled Anywhere I Lay my Head , consisting of one original song and 10 cover versions of tracks by Tom Waits.
The album admittedly received a mixed response, but many publications looked upon it favourably and NME even called it the 23rd best album of 2008.
Which, ok, still doesn’t sound exactly positive.
But releasing an album of mostly Tom Waits covers?
Damn, if that doesn’t sound cool.
Sex in a lift?
A few years ago, rumours circulated that ScarJo had sex with Benicio del Toro in a lift at LA's Chateau Marmont after 2004's Oscar ceremony.
But there's no smoke without fire, right? How could the rumour appear if it wasn't true?
"It was a sarcastic quote that I unfortunately gave to a journalist and it was taken out of context." Oh.
She added: "If you've ever been to the Chateau Marmont elevator, you'll know you can barely stand, let alone do anything like that. But I'm not one for sex in public places - save it for the bedroom."
Mindy The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004)
Riding high on the success of Lost In Translation and Girl With A Pearl Earring , Scarlett Johansson then took the natural next step: playing King Neptune’s daughter Mindy in the SpongeBob SquarePants movie.
It may have been an odd choice, but it was certainly a dream come true for Johansson, who got to work with David Hasselhoff.
Of meeting him, she said: “I so fancied him when I was young, that to see my name on the credits next to his makes me go all girly. He was a hunk back in those days.”
“Back in those days”. Words can hurt, Scarlett.
The 'falling over' meme
It may seem like ridicule, but surely there’s nothing cooler than having your own Internet meme? Just ask Sad Keanu.
Snapped falling over in the street in Glasgow during filming, the subsequent photo soon did the rounds on the interwebs and online wags the world over tripped over themselves to superimpose the awkwardly angled ScarJo in any number of bizarrely hilarious situations.
Our favourite is the one of her riding a dolphin. Just because.
Art imitates life The Island (2005)
When it comes to choosing film roles, there are less narcissistic choices to make than that of ‘clone of a supermodel’.
And yet in The Island the role worked, not least because, when Johansson’s Jordan Two Delta escapes the evil cloning compound and sees her wealthy ‘sponsor – model Sarah Jordan – for the first time in an advertisement for Calvin Klein, the image used is that of Johansson’s own real-life advertisement for Calvin Klein’s Eternity Moment fragrance.
A neat nod to the film’s own meta undertones, or just a way to include blatant product placement?
You decide.
