Scarlett Johansson On Black Widow: ‘People Were Surprised I Wanted To Play A Comic Book Heroine’

Scarlett Johansson is a renowned actress known for taking unexpected chances in film. From her breakthrough role in Lost in Translation to 2014’s risky Under The Skin, where the actress went fully nude for the part, Scarlett is always on the cutting edge.

Which makes the path to her role in the blockbuster Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron a lot less surprising to learn about. That is, to everyone but her.

“People were surprised that I wanted to play a comic book heroine,” Johansson said in a new interview for W Magazine. “But I loved Iron Man, and I met with Marvel to see what was possible.”

She also made sure that the character of Black Widow, which she reprised in Captain America: Winter Soldier in 2014, was right for her. “I had done my research, and the Black Widow character resonated with me.” Scarlett continued.

“She is dark and has faced death so many times that she has a deep perspective on the value of life. In the sequel, you learn more about the sadness in her past. I think of her that way. Black Widow is a superhero, but she’s also human. She’s small, but she’s strong. It’s hard not to admire her.”

Johansson’s accolades for the Black Widow character didn’t stop there, recognzing there is a lot of herself in the role. In fact, Black Widow could be as close to an analogy for Scarlett’s real life film choices as there is. “Like Black Widow, you have to keep trying. The challenge is always there.”

Beyond just Avengers: Age of Ultron, Scarlett will continue to reprise her role as Black Widow in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War as well, as reported by the Inquisitr. And in between, Johannson will also appear in several non-Marvel movies, as well.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Scarlett Johansson has signed on to star in Universal and Imagine Entertainment’s upcoming project The Psychopath Test, which Jay Roach will direct.

The Psychopath Test, adapted from the 2011 book by Mark Ronson, centers on the idea that one out of every hundred people is a psychopath and explores how psychopaths are diagnosed and treated. The film could be yet another vehicle for showing Scarlett’s range.

Not bad for a child actress who couldn’t nail down commercial gigs when she was a kid. “When you’re a kid, they send you on a lot of commercial auditions,” Johannson admits, “and I was terrible at selling things. I never got those parts. I remember crying in the subway, and my mom said, ‘Look—let’s forget it. Do something else.'”

Looks like Scarlett Johannson’s mother was onto something.