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Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson in January 2008
Born	Scarlett I. Johansson
Occupation(s)	Actress, singer, one-time songwriter
Years active	1994–present
Spouse	Ryan Reynolds (2008–present)
Awards	BSFC Award for Best Actress 2003 Lost in Translation

Scarlett I. Johansson (born November 22, 1984) is an actress and singer of American and Danish citizenship. Johansson rose to fame with her role in 1998's The Horse Whisperer and subsequently gained critical acclaim for her roles in Ghost World, Lost in Translation (for which she won a BAFTA), and Girl with a Pearl Earring, the latter two earning her Golden Globe Award nominations in 2003.

On May 20, 2008, Johansson debuted as a vocalist on her first album, Anywhere I Lay My Head, with cover versions of Tom Waits songs.

Early life

Johansson was born in New York City. Her father, Karsten Johansson, is a Danish-born architect, and her paternal grandfather, Ejner Johansson, was a screenwriter and director. Her mother, Melanie Sloan, a producer, comes from an Ashkenazi Jewish family from the Bronx. Johansson's parents met in Denmark, where her mother lived with Johansson's maternal grandmother, Dorothy, a former bookkeeper and schoolteacher. Johansson has an older sister, Vanessa, who is also an actress; an older brother, Adrian; a twin brother, Hunter, also an actor; and a half-brother, Christian, from her father's re-marriage.

Johansson grew up in a household with "little money" with a mother who was a "film buff". Johansson began her theater training by attending and graduating from Professional Children's School in Manhattan in 2002. She attended P.S. 41 in Greenwich Village for elementary school.

Music career

In 2005, Johansson was considered for the role of Maria in Andrew Lloyd Webber's West End revival of The Sound of Music, though the role ultimately went to newcomer Connie Fisher after she won BBC's talent show How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? Released May 8, 2006, Johansson sang the track "Summertime" for Unexpected Dreams– Songs from the Stars, a non-profit collection of songs recorded by Hollywood actors. She also performed with The Jesus And Mary Chain for a special Coachella Reunion Show in Indio, California in April 2007.

In the summer of 2007, Johansson spent about a month in Maurice, Louisiana recording an album at Dockside Studio, a rural 12 acre complex. The album consists of one original song and ten cover versions of Tom Waits songs. It was produced by Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio and features David Bowie, members from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Celebration. The record, entitled Anywhere I Lay My Head was released on May 20, 2008, through Atco/Rhino Records, amid a negative "critical consensus, stretching from comments on Gawker.com to the pages of The New York Times." Reviews of the album were mixed to somewhat positive. Criticisms include her sub-par Ann Wilson-style vocal abilities and the perceived failure to add a new dimension to the well-established classics she chose to cover. Conversely, some critics found it to be surprisingly alluring, brave in its eccentric selection, and even brilliant.

In 2007, she appeared as the leading lady in Justin Timberlake's music video for "What Goes Around.../...Comes Around," nominated in August 2007 for video of the year at the MTV Video Music Awards.

In December of 2008, TwentyFourBit.com reported Johansson plans to follow-up Anywhere I Lay My Head with an album of all original music, telling MTV, “I don’t think I’d do covers, so it’d be a project that I have to dedicate myself to. I feel like that’s something for the future.”

Personal life

Johansson does not discuss her personal life with the press, saying "it's nice to have everybody not know your business." This has not stopped Johansson from sharing "select" opinions and personal details. Johansson's ex-boyfriend (and member of the band Steel Train), Jack Antonoff, wrote lyrics that refer to Johansson in the song "Better Love." Antonoff alludes to Johansson in the song "2 O'clock." She has been linked to many famous men, including Derek Jeter, Benicio del Toro, Jared Leto, Justin Timberlake and her Black Dahlia co-star Josh Hartnett. They dated for about two years until the end of 2006, with Hartnett citing their busy lives as the reason for the split. She dated Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds, and on May 5, 2008, it was reported that the two were engaged.

On September 27, 2008, Johansson and Reynolds were married at a quiet ceremony outside Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Johansson has expressed a concern about the potential conflict between the nature of human beings and the concept of monogamy. However, she has also stated "contrary to popular belief... not promiscuous" and that she works "really hard" when she's in a relationship "to make it work in a monogamous way." She gets tested for HIV twice a year, and has said "it's part of being a decent human" and it is "disgusting" and "irresponsible" when people do not do so.

Johansson is close to her twin brother Hunter, and often gives him advice on women and dating.

She has criticized the media and Hollywood for promoting an image that causes unhealthy diets and eating disorders among women, saying "that being ultra-thin is not sexy at all. Women shouldn't be forced to conform to unrealistic and unhealthy body images that the media promote."

Johansson appeared on the cover of the March 2006 issue of Vanity Fair in the nude alongside actress Keira Knightley and world-renowned fashion designer Tom Ford. In March 2006, she topped the U.S. edition of FHM's poll of the sexiest women alive (in the UK edition Johansson was third). In 2007, Maxim named Johansson #3 in their Hot 100 issue. In November 2006, Johansson was named "Sexiest Woman Alive" by Esquire. In February 2007, she was named the "Sexiest Celebrity" of the year by Playboy.

About her religious affiliation, Johansson says: "That's a very personal question. I would rather not answer." She celebrates a "little of both" referring to Christmas and Hanukkah. She dislikes when celebrities thank God or Jesus in their award acceptance speeches. She described herself as Jewish when she was talking about Woody Allen. "I just adore Woody," she says. "We have a lot in common. We're New Yorkers, Jewish. We have a very easygoing relationship."

Johansson is a Global Ambassador for the aid and development agency, Oxfam. On March 14, 2008, a UK-based bidder by the name of Bossnour paid £20,000 for a 20 minute date with Johansson on an online auction for Oxfam on eBay. The bidder paid for a hair and make up treatment and the chance to accompany Johansson on her July premiere of He's Just Not That Into You.

She is a fan of the children's television show SpongeBob Squarepants. She supplied the voice of Mindy the Mermaid in The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie.

Together with Michael Caine, she co-hosted the 2008 Nobel Peace Concert.

Political advocacy

Johansson is a Democrat. In 2004, she campaigned for John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election. She was quoted as saying of George W. Bush's re-election, " disappointed. I think it was a disappointment for a large percentage of the population." Johansson campaigned for Barack Obama in Iowa on January 2, 2008; her efforts were targeted at small groups of younger voters, including Cornell College students and students at St. Paul Central in Minnesota on Super Tuesday. She has also taken part in the anti-poverty campaign ONE which was organized by U2 lead singer Bono. According to the FEC's website, she donated the maximum allowed amount of $2300 to the Obama campaign on May 8, 2008.

Johansson appeared in the 2008 music video for Black Eyed Peas front man Will.i.am's song, "Yes We Can", directed by Jesse Dylan. The song was inspired by Obama's speech following the 2008 New Hampshire primary.

Filmography

Discography

Studio album

• 2008 - Anywhere I Lay My Head (SWI 15, FR #20, SW #27, GER #30, UK #64, SP #77, US #126)

References

1. Prommer, Stephanie. "Style Profile: Scarlett Johansson". About.com. Retrieved 2008-03-23. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
2. Biography of Scarlett Johansson Who's Who in America
3. "Mary Stuart Reigns Again - in Ireland". The Observer. 2008-04-27. Retrieved 2008-04-27. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
4. "Scarlett Johansson's a Jew, too". JTA. 2008-03-23. Retrieved 2008-03-23. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
5. Neil Young (January 6, 2004). "A period film made by someone who hates period films– Peter Webber on Girl with a Pearl Earring". Neil Young's Film Lounge. Retrieved 2006-04-12.
6. ^ James Kaplan (2007-03-11). "More Than A Pretty Face". Parade.
7. A.J. Jacobs (2006-10-31). "Scarlett Johansson Is the Sexiest Woman Alive, 2006". Esquire.
8. Anthony Weiss (2006-04-07). "The Scarlett Grandma". The Jewish Forward. Retrieved 2006-04-12.
9. ^ Ryzik, Melena (2007-09-17). "Local favourite". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2007-09-16.
10. James Inverne (May 9, 2005). "Lloyd Webber Wants Scarlett Johansson for London Sound of Music". Playbill News. Retrieved 2007-08-23.
11. Karen Price (August 17, 2007). "I would never mime on stage". Retrieved 2007-08-23.
12. Jeff Leeds (2007-04-28). "Scarlett Johannson to sing with Jesus & Mary Chain?". YahooMusicNews. Retrieved 2007-04-28.
13. Roger Friedman (2006-10-16). "Scarlett Johansson Record Deal in the Works". FOX NEWS. Retrieved 2006-10-16.
14. "Stars Shine in Maurice: Studio Gets Visit from A-list Johansson". Archived from the original on 2007-12-19. Retrieved 2007-08-07.
15. "A Johansson debut". Boston Globe. August 4, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-23.
16. "Movie Minute: Hot Rod". MTV. August 3, 2007. Retrieved 2007-08-23.
17. "Scarlett Johansson: From Actress to Singer". Cleveland Leader. 2007-08-29. Retrieved 2007-08-29. {{cite news}}: |first= missing |last= (help)
18. Kharas, Kev (2008-02-14). "David Bowie to guest on Scarlett Johansson's Tom Waits covers record". Drowned in Sound.
19. Whiteside, Max (2008-01-09). "Scarlett Johansson to Release Album in May". andPOP. Retrieved 2008-04-22.
20. nymag.com, The Genius of Scarlett Johansson
21. washingtonpost.com, Scarlett Johansson Is Almost Nowhere On 'Anywhere'
22. metacritic.com, Anywhere I Lay My Head by Scarlett Johansson
23. music.guardian.co.uk, Scarlett Johansson, Anywhere I Lay My Head
24. Hoskyns, Barney. Scarlett Johansson, Anywhere I Lay My Head, The Observer, May 18, 2008. Accessed October 11, 2008.
25. nme.com, Scarlett Johansson - Anywhere I Lay My Head
26. "Justin Timberlake, Beyonce lead MTV Video Music Awards with 7 nods each". 2007-08-08. Retrieved 2007-08-23.
27. ""Scarlett Johansson's Second Album To Be All Original Material "".
28. "Could Scarlett Johansson be Woody's next muse?". Reuters. Retrieved 2006-07-25.
29. "Johansson Ex Writes a Song About Her". TeenHollywood. 2006-09-10. Retrieved 2006-09-10.
30. "Josh Hartnett confirms split from Scarlett Johansson". Fametastic. 2007-01-31. Retrieved 2007-02-08.
31. Messer, Lesley (2007-04-07). "Scarlett Johansson & Ryan Reynolds Step Out in NYC". People. Retrieved 2007-09-19.
32. Chiu, Alexis. Scarlett Johansson & Ryan Reynolds Engaged!, People, May 5, 2008. Accessed October 11, 2008.
33. "Scarlett Johansson, Ryan Reynolds Engaged". Retrieved 2008-05-05.
34. "Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds Wed in Canada". People magazine. 2008-09-28. Retrieved 2008-09-28.
35. Sarah Womack (2006-10-11). "Everyone should have HIV test twice a year, says Johansson". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 2006-12-05. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
36. "Scarlett Johansson: 'I'm Not Promiscous'". Washington Post. 2006-10-09. Retrieved 2006-10-10.
37. USA Today; June 19, 2008; Page 1D.
38. "Johannson Disgusted With Hollywood Attitude To Weight". TeenHollywood. 2006-09-15. Retrieved 2006-09-15.
39. "Maxim's 2007 Top 100". MAXIM. Retrieved 2007-12-28.
40. "Esquire: Scarlett Johansson 'Sexiest'". Washington Post. 2006-09-29. Retrieved 2006-09-29.
41. "Scarlett is Playboy's sexiest celeb 2007". The Hollywood News. 2007-02-20.
42. Jordan Hiller. "Movies that bang– Match Point (2005)". BangItOut. Retrieved 2006-07-18.
43. "Scarlett Johansson slams God acceptance speeches". FemaleFirst. Retrieved 2006-07-18.
44. Stinson, Jeffrey (2007-08-22). "Hollywood enters the era of Scarlett Johansson". USA Today. Retrieved 2007-09-19.
45. "Scarlett Johansson, Oxfam Ambassador". Oxfam International. 2007-07-xx. Archived from the original on 2007-10-12. Retrieved 2008-02-12. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
46. "Fan pays £20,000 to date Scarlett". 2008-03-14. Retrieved 2008-03-15.
47. "Johansson: Americans disappointed by Bush's re-election". ContactMusic. August 23, 2005. Retrieved 2006-07-18.
48. "Obama, Scarlett Johansson and a Facebook Primary". TheNation. 2008-01-03. Retrieved 2008-02-12.

External links

• Template:Ymovies name
• Scarlett Johansson at IMDb
• Template:Tvtome person
• Scarlett Johansson at People.com

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• Living people
• Deaths
• American actor-singers
• American child actors
• American film actors
• American female singers
• American stage actors
• American Jews
• American voice actors
• BAFTA winners (people)
• Danish Americans
• Jewish actors
• Jewish American musicians
• Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute alumni
• New York actors
• New York Democrats
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