“I felt terribly about it”: Scarlett Johansson’s Craziest Role Would’ve Made Her Ghost in the Shell Whitewashing Look a Trifling Issue
Scarlett Johansson has been the face of Marvel’s Black Widow ever since its inception. She has been a part of multiple critically acclaimed projects like Lucy, A Marriage Story, Lost In Translation, and Her. The Academy Award-nominated actor landed in hot waters after she went on to accept an offer for a movie based on a transgender protagonist.
The Avengers actor was looking forward to playing the role but ended up turning it down after facing a backlash from the trans community.
Scarlett Johansson Was Terribly Scared After Being Criticized By The Trans Community
Scarlett Johansson was offered to play the character of Dante ‘Tex’ Gill, an American transgender entrepreneur who operated multiple massage parlors that acted as prostitution dens back in the 70s and 80s. During an interview with the reputed media outlet Out Magazine in 2018, the Avengers actor spoke about hurting the sentiments of trans people and turning down the offer after she was criticized. She said-
“While I would have loved the opportunity to bring Dante’s story and transition to life, I understand why many feel he should be portrayed by a transgender person.”
The American actor was apologetic and believed that she had ended up mishandling the situation. Scarlett Johansson mentioned in an interview with Vanity Fair in 2019-
“In hindsight, I mishandled that situation. I was not sensitive, my initial reaction to it. I wasn’t totally aware of how the trans community felt about those three actors playing — and how they felt in general about cis actors playing — transgender people. I wasn’t aware of that conversation — I was uneducated,” she continued. So I learned a lot through that process. I misjudged that… It was a hard time. It was like a whirlwind. I felt terribly about it. To feel like you’re kind of tone-deaf to something is not a good feeling.”
According to Them magazine, Scarlett Johansson had announced to play the character of Dante ‘Tex’ Gill, but with a twist. She was supposed to play the character as a butch lesbian who ends up adopting the male identity in order to survive in the real world.
Scarlett Johansson Gave A Detailed Clarification About Her Remarks On Rub & Tug
Scarlett Johansson was criticized for her remarks on Rub & Tug, a project based on the life of Dante Tex Gill. The actor stepped back from Rupert Sanders’s biopic drama after being subjected to criticism by the Trans community. As reported by the media outlet The Daily Mail, the Black Widow actor appeared for an interview with the As If magazine and spoke about the entire issue. She said-
“You know, as an actor, I should be allowed to play any person, or any tree, or any animal because that is my job and the requirements of my job. I feel like it’s a trend in my business and it needs to happen for various social reasons, yet there are times it does get uncomfortable when it affects the art because I feel art should be free of restrictions.”
According to Entertaintainment Weekly, the actor gave a statement about being misquoted by the media for clickbait. The statement mentioned-
“The question I was answering in my conversation with the contemporary artist, David Salle, was about the confrontation between political correctness and art. I personally feel that, in an ideal world, any actor should be able to play anybody, and Art, in all forms, should be immune to political correctness.”
The statement further read as-
“That is the point I was making, albeit didn’t come across that way. I recognize that in reality, there is a widespread discrepancy in my industry that favors Caucasian, cis-gendered actors and that not every actor has been given the same opportunities that I have been privileged to. I continue to support, and always have, diversity in every industry and will continue to fight for projects where everyone is included.”
Filmmaker Rupert Sander and Scarlett Johansson collaborated for the 2017 release Ghost In The Shell. She was subjected to criticism for Whitewashing Asian roles as she played the Manga character in the movie.
