Earlier this week, Marvel actress Scarlett Johansson found herself in the middle of another controversy after addressing the backlash that she received for taking on roles meant for minorities like in Ghost in the Shell and in Rub and Tug.
Speaking in an interview with AS IF Magazine, Johansson seemingly tried to defend her decision to take on the roles that she previously did. The quote was heavily criticized by fans online, so much so that the actress' representative sent ComicBook.com and other entertainment news outlets a statement clarifying the quote.
"An interview that was recently published has been edited for click bait and is widely taken out of context," Johansson says in her statement, "The question I was answering in my conversation with the contemporary artist, David Salle, was about the confrontation between political correctness and art. 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. 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. I continue to support, and always have, diversity in every industry and will continue to fight for projects where everyone is included."
The original quote that Johansson made in AS IF Magazine certainly doesn't come across as what Johansson would want to present.
"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. 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. I think society would be more connected if we just allowed others to have their own feelings and not expect everyone to feel the way we do," the actress said in her interview with the publication.
Since then, fans have been criticizing Johansson, some making fun of the Marvel star and likening her to fields and trees.
Hopefully, this new statement from Johansson helps clarify her stance and diminishes the outrage over the original quote.
Avengers: Endgame is currently screening in cinemas.
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