Scarlett Johansson has clarified her recent controversial comments about casting in the movie industry.
Last week, the actress – who has played Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2010 – spoke about political correctness with As If following her casting in Rub & Tug, in which she was set to portray a transgender man.
She also received backlash for her role in the film adaptation of Japanese anime series, Ghost in the Shell, which fans argued should’ve gone to a Japanese actor. The film ultimately bombed at the box office.
“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,” she told the publication, which was met with tremendous criticism over social media.
She added: “There are a lot of social lines being drawn now, and a lot of political correctness is being reflected in art.
“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.”
Johansson has now hit out at As If for editing her comments as “click bait” and said they were “taken out of context”.
“The question I was answering in my conversation with the contemporary artist, David Salle, was about the confrontation between political correctness and art,” she said in a statement to Variety.
“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. That is the point I was making, albeit didn’t come across that way.”
She finally noted that not every actor gets the same opportunities as their white, cis-gender counterparts.
“I recognize that in reality, there is a wide spread discrepancy amongst 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,” she continued.
“I continue to support, and always have, diversity in every industry and will continue to fight for projects where everyone is included.”
Related: Marvel boss Kevin Feige shares details of solo Black Widow film.
