Scarlett Johansson and Taika Waititi collaborated on a movie that became an immediate fan favorite. Both of them have touched to roots of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and come out with successful wins with them as well. From being Black Widow to being the director of Thor: Ragnarok, both of them have earned a rightfully deserved streak of fame.
One movie that both of them happened to be a part of was Jojo Rabbit. The movie went on to gain a lot of praise but before it all, it was only collecting controversy. No one was to blame for it. Making a movie that added humor to some of the darkest themes that existed in the world was risky to begin with. However, to pull it off was a challenge and achievement on its own.
Scarlett Johansson Owed Chris Hemsworth for Jojo Rabbit
Scarlett Johansson had a reaction much like any other person when she heard about Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit. Having Nazism take a humorous approach is very unorthodox in thought. World War II is already a dark topic for people to talk about, so putting Hitler in a comedy movie can easily bring about controversy. Johansson too had her reservations about the film until Chris Hemsworth pushed her into working with him.
“I cried when I read it, which rarely happens.”
She never regretted her decision afterward. She even ended up crying after she saw the script because of how good it was. She wasn’t the only one to have such an emotional reaction to the film either. Many of the actors were hesitating about whether or not they should take a movie that tackled such wonderous themes. However, each and every actor who hesitated turned out to melt the moment the script came into their hands, this included Stephen Merchant and Sam Rockwell. Johansson was even hesitant about whether or not Disney would allow for the movie to be released.
Also Read: “But my ego is so massive…”: Taika Waititi Was Forced By Studio To Play Adolf Hitler Against His Wishes In $90M Scarlett Johansson Movie Despite His Ancestry
Taika Waititi Was Forced to Play Hitler
Due to the controversial themes that Taika Waititi was dealing with, casting another actor as Hitler would only be the cherry on top. This was a decision even the director was concerned about making because of his Jewish and Russian roots. He was also worried about grabbing negative attention because of his role.
“I just didn’t want to have myself get clouded with negative shit while trying to play someone so evil,” he stated. “But my ego is so massive, it was bound to happen.”
He took the role anyway and the movie, once it was released, got only praise. From both critics and fans, everyone ended up loving the movie. Jojo Rabbit was not his first acting role. However, the way he dealt with the comedic outlook of Hitler was unique in every way possible.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
