Scarlett Johansson is an American actress, producer, and director widely regarded as one of the most versatile performers in Hollywood.
She built her career through a rare mix of indie dramas, critical darlings, and global blockbusters, becoming the highest-grossing lead actor of all time.
Read on to discover more about her life, career, relationships, family, and achievements.
Who Is Scarlett Johansson?
Scarlett Johansson is an American actress who started performing as a child and grew into one of the biggest stars in the world.
She is best known for playing Natasha Romanoff, also known as Black Widow, in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She appeared in that role across 10 Marvel films between 2010 and 2021.
Beyond Marvel, she has earned two Academy Award nominations and won a BAFTA Award. Her films as a leading actress have grossed over $15.4 billion worldwide, making her the highest-grossing lead actor in cinema history.
In 2025, she added director to her resume. Her debut film, Eleanor the Great, earned a five-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival.
That same year, she starred in Jurassic World Rebirth, which opened to $318.3 million globally in its first five days.
Early Life of Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Ingrid Johansson was born on November 22, 1984, in Manhattan, New York City. Her father, Karsten Johansson, is a Danish-born architect. Her mother, Melanie Sloan, is a producer with Ashkenazi Jewish roots.
Growing up was not easy. The family lived on welfare and food stamps for a period. In a 2017 appearance on Inside the Actors Studio, Johansson said: “My parents were raising four kids in a low-income household in Manhattan. So, it was a lot.”
She has a twin brother, Hunter Johansson, who is three minutes younger and later worked on political and humanitarian causes.
She also has an older sister, Vanessa, who is an actress, and an older brother, Adrian. There is also a paternal half-brother, Christian.
Johansson started auditioning at age seven. Her first professional role came at age eight, in the off-Broadway production Sophistry alongside Ethan Hawke at New York’s Playwrights Horizons.
She made her film debut at nine, appearing in the 1994 comedy North. She attended the Professional Children’s School in Manhattan and also studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.
Scarlett Johansson Age
Scarlett Johansson is 41 years old as of 2026, born on November 22, 1984, in Manhattan, New York City.
Her zodiac sign is Sagittarius, a sign associated with ambition, independence, and a bold spirit, all traits that describe her career path well.
She has been a working actress for more than three decades, starting before her tenth birthday and still leading major studio films today.
Scarlett Johansson Ethnicity and Nationality
Scarlett Johansson is American and holds both American and Danish citizenship. Her ethnicity is mixed: her father is of Danish and Swedish descent, while her mother has Ashkenazi Jewish roots. Johansson has described herself as Jewish and has said she celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah.
She grew up in Manhattan and spent much of her early life between New York and, later, Los Angeles. Her dual heritage has always been part of her identity, both in her family ties to Scandinavia and in her connection to Jewish culture.
Scarlett Johansson Height and Weight
Scarlett Johansson stands 5 feet 3 inches tall, which is about 1.60 meters. She weighs about 125 pounds, or 57 kilograms.
Despite her smaller frame, she is known for her physically demanding roles, particularly her portrayal of Black Widow, for which she underwent intense training to perform her own stunts across multiple Marvel films.
Scarlett Johansson Career
Child Actress and Breakthrough
After her film debut in North (1994), Johansson built a steady career as a child actress. She earned strong reviews for Manny & Lo in 1996 and caught wider attention in The Horse Whisperer in 1998.
Her co-star Robert Redford reportedly described her as “13 going on 30” because of how mature she was as a young professional.
In 2001, she turned heads with Ghost World, playing a sharp, cynical teenager. That role proved she could carry an adult character with real depth. Two years later, Lost in Translation (2003) changed everything.
She played Charlotte, a lonely young woman stuck in Tokyo, and won a BAFTA Award for Best Actress for the role.
A-List Status and Marvel
Johansson continued to impress with films like Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003), Match Point (2005), and Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008).
She joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2010 with Iron Man 2, where she first played Natasha Romanoff. The role would go on to define a major chapter of her career.
She appeared 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 finally her solo film, Black Widow (2021).
For Avengers: Endgame alone, she reportedly earned $14 million upfront plus roughly five percent of box office grosses, which came to about $35 million given the film’s $2.8 billion total.
Oscar Nominations and Prestige Films
In 2020, Johansson received two Academy Award nominations in the same year. She was nominated for Best Actress for Marriage Story and Best Supporting Actress for Jojo Rabbit. Scarlett was the first person to receive dual acting nominations at the same ceremony since Cate Blanchett in 2008.
She continued her work with director Wes Anderson, appearing in Asteroid City (2023) and The Phoenician Scheme (2025). She also starred in the romantic drama Fly Me to the Moon (2024).
Director and Box Office Record-Breaker
In 2025, Johansson made her directorial debut with Eleanor the Great, a comedy-drama starring June Squibb as a 94-year-old woman who loses her best friend.
The film premiered at Cannes in May 2025 and received a standing ovation. Sony Pictures Classics released it in the United States in September 2025.
That same summer, she starred in Jurassic World Rebirth, directed by Gareth Edwards. She played a covert operations expert seeking dinosaur DNA for a medical breakthrough.
The film opened to $318.3 million globally in its first five days. Her total box office earnings as a lead actress crossed $14.8 billion with that release, officially making her the highest-grossing lead actor of all time.
The Disney Lawsuit
In 2021, Johansson sued Disney for releasing Black Widow on Disney+ at the same time as theaters. She argued this breached her contract and cost her tens of millions in box office bonuses.
Disney disclosed she had been paid $20 million for the film. The two sides settled in September 2021 for undisclosed terms, though sources reported compensation exceeded $40 million.
The case had wide effects across the industry. It highlighted the growing tension between traditional theatrical contracts and streaming distribution deals.
Scarlett Johansson Net Worth
Scarlett Johansson’s estimated net worth is $165 million as of 2026, making her one of the wealthiest actresses in Hollywood.
Film Earnings
The biggest part of her wealth comes from her film career. Across her 10 Marvel appearances, she reportedly earned between $60 and $75 million in total salaries.
Her per-film fee grew significantly over time, reaching an estimated $15 to $20 million for major blockbusters.
Business Ventures
Beyond acting, Johansson co-founded The Outset in 2022, a clean skincare brand sold at Sephora, Target, Nordstrom, and Amazon.
She holds an ownership stake in the company. She has also produced films through her production company, These Pictures.
Endorsements
Johansson has held long-running endorsement deals with brands including Dolce & Gabbana and David Yurman. These partnerships have added significantly to her earnings over the years.
Real Estate
She owns properties in both New York and Los Angeles. No specific sale prices have been publicly confirmed.
Is Scarlett Johansson Married?
Scarlett Johansson is married to Colin Jost, the Saturday Night Live head writer and Weekend Update co-host. The couple married in October 2020 in an intimate ceremony with close family and friends.
They first met in 2006 when Johansson hosted SNL and Jost was a writer on the show. They reconnected when she hosted again in 2017 and were spotted together at the afterparty. She got engaged in May 2019 after dating for about two years.
Johansson has spoken openly about what makes their relationship work. On Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop podcast, she said she finally understood what she needed from a partner. “It worked with Colin and I because I was finally able to step back and respect myself enough to know what those fundamental wants and needs were.”
Previous Marriages
Before Colin Jost, Johansson was married twice. She married Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds in September 2008. They divorced in January 2011.
She then began a relationship with French journalist Romain Dauriac in late 2012. The couple married in October 2014 and divorced in 2017.
Scarlett Johansson Children
Scarlett Johansson is the mother of two children. Her daughter, Rose Dorothy Dauriac, was born in September 2014 with her then-husband Romain Dauriac. Rose is now around 11 years old.
Her son, Cosmo Jost, was born in August 2021 with Colin Jost. Jost announced the birth on Instagram with the short message: “Ok ok we had a baby.” Cosmo is now around five years old.
Johansson and Jost are known for keeping their children out of the public eye. She has also advocated for a “No Kids Policy” among paparazzi to give celebrity children a more private upbringing.
Summary
Scarlett Johansson has built one of the most impressive careers in modern Hollywood, balancing critical acclaim with record-breaking commercial success.
She did it on her own terms, from a humble childhood in Manhattan to becoming the highest-grossing lead actor in cinema history.
As a mother, director, entrepreneur, and actress, she continues to grow in every direction.
