Scarlett Johansson Reflects on Challenges Filming Large Marvel Ensemble

Scarlett Johansson reflected on the challenges of playing Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for over a decade, highlighting how some films engaged her character more deeply than others. She explained that in movies with large ensemble casts and complex plots, she often felt like a device to move the story along, which made the long filming periods personally taxing and limited her ability to maintain her identity outside of the role. Johansson's co-star David Harbour, who played Alexei in Black Widow and has also been involved in long-running projects like Netflix's Stranger Things, related to her experience, noting how repetitive storylines can make actors want to take risks and try new roles after many years. Johansson also mentioned her involvement as an executive producer on Harbour's latest film, Thunderbolts, although she had considered removing her credit due to limited involvement. Despite previous legal disputes with Disney, Johansson and the Marvel franchise appear to have reconciled. The ongoing impact of these roles on actors' personal and professional lives was a major theme throughout their conversation.