Scarlett Johansson oozed confidence and charm on the red carpet for her movie directorial debut at Toronto International Film Festival – but behind the smiles, the Marvel star shared her vulnerabilities during an honest and open chat to promote the project.
The New York-born BAFTA winner is no stranger to awards and praise, having garnered acclaim at film festivals across the globe for her work as an actress, but her move into the director’s chair for the upcoming film Eleanor The Great is a whole new experience.
"This is more nerve-wracking because I feel like I’m sharing something that I have been so close to and now it’s suddenly exposed," Scarlett explained at an intimate press event in Toronto.
© Middle East Images/AFP via Getty"Maybe there’s a more vulnerable feeling, but it’s exciting."
The soon-to-be-released movie stars June Squibb as the lead character of Eleanor – alongside British actors Chiwetel Ejiofor and Erin Kellyman – in a story about a woman who adopts the life story of her recently deceased friend, a Holocaust survivor.
The film’s thought-provoking themes cover subject matters that are very close to Scarlett’s heart. "The idea of legacy is very important to me," the 40-year-old said. "I lost a lot of relatives in the Holocaust."
"I always felt like there was something missing in my life because I didn't have a relationship with my extended family; it was sort of lost. I think my siblings and I often searched for that."
© Getty Images for IMDbShe continued: "I think these disappearing stories are very much part of my DNA because it's a part of my own story, too. That aspect of the script really resonated with me."
The titular character of Eleanor is 95-year-old June Squibb’s second lead role in recent years, which could suggest that Hollywood’s attitude to ageism is slowly improving.
"I think it's getting better," June explained to Scarlett during our interview. "I mean, I just did two films about 90-year-old women and I think we now have many leading ladies who are in their 60s. That never happened that much before."
"It’s getting better," agreed Scarlett, who revealed she doesn’t think she has June’s stamina to be working into her 90s. "I don't want to eat catering for that many years," she quipped.
© Getty ImagesDespite this shift into the director’s chair for Eleanor The Great, Scarlett confirmed she is still "an actor for hire" who has no plans to give up her career in front of the camera. "I just felt like this move was very much an extension of my work,” she explained. “It didn't feel so leftfield."
"You know, I don’t ask my husband this – but I like to have control over some things in life" she clarified, with a smile. "And I like the collaborative experience of the work that we do very, very much. I really love the community that we have on set, so I think this was an extension of that passion."
Eleanor The Great landed a five-minute standing ovation in Cannes earlier this year, as well as a hefty applause after its Toronto debut. Film fans can make up their own mind about the story when the movie is released in UK cinemas on 26 September.
