‘Eleanor The Great’: Scarlett Johansson Opens Up About Her Jewish Roots & Authenticity in Film

‘Eleanor The Great’: Scarlett Johansson Opens Up About Her Jewish Roots & Authenticity in Film

[Music] I really got lucky with the timing of this film because in not so many years I think it would be less possible. um you know and even casting our Holocaust survivor support group and identifying you know who was not just willing to participate but who who could participate um really made that very clear oh wow this is you know it’s 250,000 people today but in a year it’ll be a lot less you know and so I there there is a I think a surprising to me a sense of like urgency in getting this story getting this film made. Um, you know, and I I certainly the Jewish identity piece of this story is very is something that I felt I could confidently um execute um because it’s it’s in my DNA and I I grew up, you know, identifying as a Jewish kid growing up in New York. I know I had a grandmother who um was, you know, not like Eleanor in some ways, but also kind of impossible and amazing and you know, very strong character, a very strong Jewish woman. And uh you know, I I think hopefully when you see the film, the authenticity of that comes through. Um, you know, if I didn’t if it if it that piece didn’t feel authentic to me, I probably wouldn’t have touched this film because it’s so much a part of the film. Yeah, June, it’s so good to see you. Uh, congratulations on this role. Um, how does it feel to be back at KN again? Had great fun. It’s different because then I was, you know, so like I didn’t know what I was doing. I was just sort of led around and I have a little more now a little more able to see what’s happening and to make decisions and everything like you weren’t so over you’re not so overwhelmed. Not so overwhelmed this time. Yeah. What would you say is the secret to your boundless energy because not just at work but Shu told me that your 95th birthday party was a very lively affair. It was it was lively. Yes. He was there. Yeah. Um, I I’ve always kind of had an energy and if I needed more, I had it. I don’t know why, but I’ve always had energy. What about when you were a kid? I had energy. Is that what your mom would say? Yeah. Oh, yes. Much too much energy. Was there anything about Eleanor that you personally related to? You know, we we would all love to give people the finger all the time and she does it, you know, and I think that things she says. I mean, a lot of it is her humor, but a lot of it has a zinger to it, too. You know, she’s not afraid to say anything. I found that really inspiring. I’m going to give the finger more often myself. Erin, I know you and June really connected shooting this. Um, did June give you any tips? Did you learn some acting tips from June? I think Yeah, first of all, but I think also just watching watching June do her thing on set was a lesson in itself. Um, but also you were really open about your experience of like still figuring it out. And I think that like I was obviously I’m coming onto this set thinking, “Okay, Scarlet and Drew know exactly what they’re doing and I’m I’m drowning. I’m drowning with this set.” Um, but you being open about that, I think made me relax a little bit more in in feeling like, okay, so I think we’re all maybe just trying to figure it out, you know? Yeah. Always. Yeah. Was there any kind of improv since you two were so close and had such a real friendship? Did you, Scarlet, did you allow improv? Was there a kind of atmosphere of that? Yeah, there is there was a little bit of improv. Although I have to say, you know, it’s interesting when you’re putting something together. You know, improv is so obvious um that it kind of takes you out of the scripted story and so you have to use it very sparingly or it’s jarring I think for the audience because suddenly they’re getting a peak behind the curtain in a way that’s not always helpful. Um, and so you have to you have to be delicate where you place it. Um, but you know, I also I I’m not I’m not a person that loves improvising. Um, I it’s just not my strength as an actor. Um, you know, certainly I’ve worked with actors that are fantastic at it or comedians particularly that are really fantastic at it. um and it lands because it’s sort of part of like the whole shtick of what they’re doing. But I think for most actors, improv is I don’t know, I’m speaking for myself, but it’s it can be hard because you’re suddenly you’re studying the script, you’re working from the script, and then suddenly you’re you know, expected to just sort of wing it, you know, and it’s it it takes you out of the moment of the work that you’re doing. I don’t that’s how I feel about it. But there’s a couple of little moments. Yeah. And I think with the montagey things, me and June, I don’t know if we were talking in character, out of character. I had an accent, but I think we were just chatting. Um, so that that was kind of like an improv moment. Obviously, you don’t hear what we’re we’re talking about, but that felt quite it felt quite nice to the diner. Yeah. In the diner, too. Yeah. And they also have such great energy between that and then like seeing them in those moments over the montage or whatever where they’re just, you know, enjoying each other. It was great to be able to use that because it’s it’s so it’s happening, you know. So, not always the case. Sometimes you say cut and both people turn away. We get both. So, Scarlet, you said to me before that um you know the kind of directing projects you might look towards in the future, they have to have this kind of human connection element to them. That’s really interesting to you. I know you’ve said you don’t plan to resume Black Widow, but would you ever do something completely different and direct a big action movie or a Marvel movie? Um, yeah. I think I mean the movies that I like that are big action movies also have the human connectivity piece. I mean even producing Black Widow and being a part of the production of that and the development of the story and the story between Natasha and her and Yolena and this family drama that in is this small movie in like this in a huge world. Um is I think a way of doing it you know a way of maintaining the integrity of you know the idea of of human connection, family, um you know, disappointment, all of the things that were themes in that film and and doing it in a giant way, in a giant universe is also there’s ways of doing it. Those are the those are the big movies that I love that work. Um, you know, it’s the same way we love Shan Connory and Harrison Ford in the Indiana Jones movies, you know, because it’s just like this such it’s a relationship that we all like know that, you know, I could probably recite those movies cuz I love them. I could probably recite all the Indiana Jones movies. I’m like an obsessive and it’s such a great I mean he’s such a flawed character, you know, and in and in each film, you know, he’s really the there’s like the core of the films are really about the relationship, you know. Um so yeah, I mean definitely it could be it would be fun. [Music]

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