Text Audrey Smythe-Jones, Honie Stevens
Image Corbis Outline
Just as her latest film, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, gets set for its Belgian release, Hollywood siren Scarlett Johansson took time out to talk to us about falling in love, kissing Penelope Cruz and why Barcelona is the perfect place for a spicy, steamy romance
Since rising to prominence playing a severely traumatised girl in the acclaimed 1998 film The Horse Whisperer, Scarlett Johansson has been no stranger to success. The daughter of a Danish-born father and mother of Polish descent, 23-year-old Johansson has starred in several hit films such as Lost in Translation, Girl with a Pearl Earring and Match Point. Last year she was ranked twelfth on Forbes list of the 20 Top-Earning Young Superstars (2007) and named as Playboy’s ‘Sexiest Celebrity’ of 2007. Earlier this year Johansson released her debut album Anywhere I Lay My Head, two provocative new films and announced her engagement to fellow actor Ryan Reynolds, so it’s safe to say this starlet is still rising.
In her latest film, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Johansson teams up for the third time with acclaimed director Woody Allen to play a sexually adventurous American tourist holidaying in Barcelona. The film has already got critics buzzing about Johansson’s on-screen lip lock with Penelope Cruz and her status as Woody Allen’s latest muse.
Are you comfortable with being referred to as Woody’s new muse?
Woody and I always get asked about the muse thing and say ‘No, it’s not that way.’ I just think that I’m fortunate enough to fit into the young girl parts of the story, just the same as Judy Davis or Diane Wiest would fit into a certain part. Woody and I, both of us appreciate how wonderful it is to work with your friends. It’s fun and you always have a great time – you can entertain each other and you understand each other.
Woody has said you are an actress that can do anything. Are you surprised that he perceives you in that way?
Of course. I’m always surprised at how fortunate I’ve been. I can never quite understand what’s happened. I just feel lucky to be employed and so for me it’s such a huge compliment for him to see me in any role, that he can imagine me being anything. As an actor that’s the best compliment that you can ever get, that you don’t get pigeonholed into some type and you can seamlessly manipulate yourself into different roles, different time periods and different characters.
What do you think sets your character in this Woody Allen movie apart from the others that you’ve done in his movies?
It’s a difficult question to answer because everything about Cristina, I think – other than her blonde hair – is different. It’d be hard to find some comparison between her and the character I played in Scoop – I played such a ridiculous character in that film.
How was it working with Penelope Cruz and would you like to work with her again?
I would work with Penelope in any way or form. She’s just wonderful. She’s a gem… a lovely, lovely woman who is beautiful inside and out. She’s proven herself a million times over and is like a chameleon – she could play anyone. She’s completely committed to everything that she does. She comes in with notes. It’s crazy. I felt so out of the loop. She and Javier [Bardem] both work in a kind of refined method and I work in a different way. I learned a lot about
myself as an actor through working with them both – like how to go along with the improvisation. We became this little family, in a way, and it made our scenes together feel real and so truthful. Of course we all got along well, which probably helped. I loved working with both of them.
The film is essentially all about amorous entanglements. What are your thoughts on love?
People are so complicated and their relationships are complicated, too. My character certainly has that philosophy: that love needs to be tumultuous and painful and this tug of war, and be visceral to be real. I don’t think that I necessarily feel that way… but I do believe in commitment and all of those things, obviously.
Can you tell us about the scene in the film where you kiss Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem?
It’s funny. People are so conservative. But when we were shooting that scene it was so absolutely not sexy. There are, like, 60 men eating salami sandwiches and nobody cares when you’re doing it. It’s just another day at work and another part of the story. And then of course people get wind of it and they get all excited about it because they associate two women who wear gowns at award shows and they think, ‘Oh, my gosh, the possibilities…’ It’s ridiculous.
The film was shot in Barcelona featuring well-known sites such as the Tibidabo Amusement Park, Port Olimpic and La Rambla, what did you think of the city?
Barcelona is magical and so romantic, There are a couple of cities this film could have been shot in, like Rome or Paris. But Barcelona is the perfect place for a spicy, steamy romance. It’s that idyllic ‘summer in Europe’ kind of place to be. There is always something happening at all hours of the night, and people are outside dancing, drinking wine and being merry. I’d never been to Barcelona before, so all of the touristy things we do in the film I was really experiencing for the first time.
Would you like to go back to Barcelona?
I’d love to go back there and see it when I’m not working on a film, and I’d love to see other parts of Spain as well.
Would you ever consider moving to Europe to live?
I could never consider living anywhere permanently other than New York, but I’d love to have a place in London. I mean who wouldn’t? It would be so glamorous. It’s such a great city and I have family and friends there, so for me it’s like a holiday when I’m there. In the summer there is no better place to be.
Where do you see yourself ten years from now? That’s hard to say. I mean I see myself still living a bi-coastal life. I see myself having a couple of films under my directorial belt, and hopefully being successful and satisfied with that a few times over. And I hope to still be in New York, happy and healthy.
FR La fièvre des starlettes
Dans son dernier film Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Scarlett Johansson fait équipe avec Woody Allen, le réalisateur le plus acclamé, pour jouer une touriste américaine à la recherche d’aventures sexuelles à Barcelone. Nous avons rencontré cette sirène d’Hollywood…
Vous seriez la nouvelle muse de Woody. Comment réagissez-vous par rapport à cette déclaration ? Je pense tout simplement que j’ai eu la chance de convenir pour le rôle de jeune femme dans l’histoire. Woody et moi-même partageons ce même plaisir de travailler avec nos amis.
Le film tourne essentiellement autour de la question des complications amoureuses. Que pensez-vous de l’amour ? Les relations entre les gens sont compliquées. Clairement, la philosophie de mon personnage est que l’amour, pour être vrai, doit être tumultueux et viscéral. Personnellement, je ne ressens pas les choses de cette façon… Je crois à l’engagement comme la base même de la relation amoureuse. Pouvez-vous nous en dire un peu plus sur la scène où vous embrassez Penelope Cruz et Javier Bardem ? Lorsque nous avons tourné la scène, c’était tellement peu sexy ! C’était plutôt un jour de travail comme un autre, mais les gens s’excitent parce qu’ils associent deux femmes qui portent des robes de cérémonie lors de remise de prix et ils pensent, “Oh, mon dieu, les éventualités” …C’est ridicule.
Le film a été tourné à Barcelone dans des lieux bien connus comme le Parc d’attraction Tibidabo, le Port Olimpic et La Rambla, que pensez-vous de la ville ? Barcelone est magique et tellement romantique. C’est l’endroit parfait pour une romance pleine de fougue et torride. À toutes les heures de la nuit, il y a toujours quelque chose qui se passe, les gens sont dehors en train de danser et de boire du vin, perpétuellement éméchés. Je n’y étais jamais allée, donc dans toutes les scènes touristiques du film, je découvrais véritablement les lieux pour la première fois.
NL Starlet fever
In haar nieuwste prent Vicky Cristina Barcelona werkt Scarlett Johansson nog maar eens samen met bejubeld regisseur Woody Allen. Deze keer speelt ze een seksueel avontuurlijke Amerikaanse toerist in Barcelona. We hadden een gesprek met de blonde sirene uit Hollywood.
Word je graag Woody’s nieuwe muze genoemd? Ik ben al blij dat ik in de meisjesdelen van het verhaal pas. Zowel Woody als ik beseffen hoe geweldig het is om met je vrienden te kunnen samenwerken.
De film gaat vooral over compromitterende liefdesrelaties. Hoe denk jij over de liefde? Mensen en hun relaties zijn complex. Voor mijn personage moet echte liefde tumultueus en intuïtief zijn. Ik denk er zelf niet per se zo over… Maar ik geloof natuurlijk wel in verbintenis en al die dingen.
Kun je ons iets vertellen over die kusscène met Penelope Cruz en Javier Bardem? Toen we die scène draaiden, was dat afschuwelijk onsexy. Het is gewoon werk. En dan worden mensen opeens heel enthousiast wanneer ze denken aan de mogelijkheden van twee vrouwen in een avondjurk op een prijsuitreiking… Het is gewoon belachelijk.
De film werd opgenomen op bekende plaatsen in Barcelona, zoals het pretpark van Tibidabo, Port Olímpic en La Rambla. Wat vond je van de stad? Barcelona is magisch en romantisch.
Het is de perfecte plek voor een spannende, stomende romance. Op elk moment van de nacht gebeurt er wel wat. Mensen staan buiten te dansen, ze drinken wijn en amuseren zich. Ik was er nog nooit geweest. Dus alle toeristische dingen die we in de film deden, waren echt nieuw voor mij.
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