Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson starrer We Bought a Zoo was a decent comedy that has remained in the actor’s resume in their stellar career as actors. The Cameron Crowe-directed 2011 movie earned over $118 million at the box office against a budget of $50 million.
Johansson played Kelly Foster in the movie that was adapted from Benjamin Mee’s book of the same name, starring alongside Damon who played the author of the book. For Johansson, the movie was important as she has intended to work with the director for quite a while.
Scarlett Johansson in We Bought a Zoo
At the time of the movie, Scarlett Johansson and Deadpool star and her ex-husband Ryan Reynolds were on the verge of ending their relationship. The movie turned out to be a relief as the actor was engaged in a project that she would enjoy and distracted from finding her next date. Explaining the reason behind taking the role, the Black Widow star said that the character was much more grounded. “Oh my God, making that movie, physically, that nearly broke me in two. Making this movie, though — this was cathartic,” Johansson said. “Right, like, ‘Oh, great, here’s that broken man I’ve always been meaning to mend,’” she added.
“No, this character has no interest in that, which was one of the main attractions for me. … She’s a forward-moving and motivated woman whose passion has nothing to do with where she’s going to find her next date.”
Also, the Avengers star has always wanted to work with Cameron Crowe. “I auditioned for ‘Almost Famous’ when I was probably 15,” Johansson said of Crowe’s acclaimed 2000 comedy drama. “I’ve always wanted to work with Cameron Crowe. I’ve auditioned for him several times for various projects over the last ten years, and I’ve always admired the way he worked with me,” she told Interview Magazine. Finally, it turned out to be in her favor as the actor got her desired project.
Scarlett Johansson Made Cameron Crowe Change Most of Her Character
Johansson was particularly over the moon getting the opportunity to play a character in a Crowe movie. “When the opportunity came along with this project” the actor took no time to grab it. However, when she read the script, the actor felt that her character was “sort of underdeveloped, so I wanted to talk with Cameron about it, which I did. I told him, “I don’t know what I can contribute to this, exactly, but this is what I want to see from the character. Johansson continued. “This is what I want to know about her,” and he was so into it,” she added.
“He said, “Yes! Tell me more. What do you see? I want to know how to expand it.” So we worked together to kind of build a relationship between the characters, and I think that part of the project was very exciting. It felt like an opportunity to build a character from scratch. Then also, you have Cameron Crowe write an incredible monologue for you just based on the things that you’re talking about. It just became this opportunity that was too exciting a process to pass up.”
Further, the actor said that Cameron is so “collaborative and inviting—and not just with the actors, but with everyone” and commended the director for doing a beautiful job of “highlighting the humanity of this group of people banding together to build a kind of oasis.” The movie, Johansson revealed, has been a positive experience for her.
After starring in Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City, Johansson has a few upcoming projects under her belt which include, The Jungle Book 2, Bride, Little Shop of Horrors remake, Project Artemis, and the highly anticipated Transformers One.
Source: TheThings.
