Scarlett Johansson is reflecting on the “really harsh time” that the young Hollywood actress had to go through in the early 2000s.

On the April 12 episode of CBS Sunday Morning, the Black Widow star shared that during the early 2000s, it was “socially acceptable” for female actors to get slammed over their looks.

“It was tough. There was a lot placed on how women looked,” Johansson recalled. “What was offered at that time for women my age, as far as acting roles or opportunities, was much slimmer than it is now.”

Johansson noted that opportunities for young women in 2026 are “much more empowering” compared to when she was in her twenties, describing the landscape at the time as limited and creatively restrictive.

Reflecting on her early years in Hollywood, the Marvel Cinematic Universe icon said roles for young actresses were largely repetitive and narrowly defined. 

“You would get really pigeon-holed and offered the same [roles],” she said, explaining that parts often revolved around “the other woman, or the side piece, the bombshell”  archetypes she described as dominant at the time.

Johansson revealed she turned to New York’s theatre scene as a creative escape, where she was able to step away from typecasting and regain a sense of artistic control. 

The experience, she said, also helped her learn to hold out for “the right role” instead of succumbing to the pressure to work continuously.

“It’s something that I learned over time, but it’s hard,” she admitted, adding that early in an actor’s career, there is a constant fear that each job could be the last, pushing many to accept roles that may not be fulfilling.

The Jojo Rabbit actress went on to note that the instinct to stay visible is universal in such a competitive industry. 

“Every actor feels like that,” Johansson said, adding, "because it is so competitive, and I think once you do have the spotlight, you want to keep it on you. I mean, that’s the instinct I think for a young actor, or any actor.”