Scarlett Johansson (born November 22, 1984) is an actress who rose to fame with her role in 1998's The Horse Whisperer. She became one of Hollywood's most sought-after young actresses after her critically acclaimed roles in Lost in Translation and Girl with a Pearl Earring, both earning her Golden Globe Award nominations in 2003.
Johansson was born in New York City. Her father, Karsten Johansson, was born in Denmark and her paternal grandfather, Ejner Johansson, was a screenwriter and director. Her mother, Melanie Sloan, comes from a Bronx-bred Jewish American family, and met Karsten Johansson while living in Denmark with Scarlett Johansson's maternal grandmother, Dorothy, a former bookkeeper and schoolteacher. Johansson has an older sister, Vanessa, who is also an actress, an older brother, Adrian, a twin brother Hunter, also an actor, and a half-brother, Christian.
Johansson began her theater training by attending and graduating from Professional Children's School in Manhattan in 2002, a school renowned for its theater and acting training to young, hopeful actors and actresses.
Johansson's acting career debuted in Hollywood and garnered praise and widespread attention with her role in The Horse Whisperer. Following the critical success of the 1998 picture, she followed with major roles as Rebecca in Ghost World, Charlotte in Lost in Translation, Griet in Girl with a Pearl Earring, Francesca in The Perfect Score and Nola in Match Point. Most of her performances received positive critical notice.
In 2003, she was nominated for two best actress awards at the Golden Globes, one for drama (Girl with a Pearl Earring) and one for comedy (Lost in Translation). She was also nominated for best actress for both films at the BAFTAs, and won best actress for Lost in Translation.
She was invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in June 2004. In the same year, she starred in A Love Song for Bobby Long, a film that, despite being widely ignored by the movie-going public (grossing only $964,308 worldwide), earned her a third Golden Globe Award nomination.
Johansson was involved for a short time in the film Mission: Impossible III but did not officially join the cast because of scheduling conflicts, although a falling out with Tom Cruise had been both widely reported but quickly denied. She was replaced by Keri Russell.
In July 2005, Johansson starred with Ewan McGregor in the Michael Bay-directed The Island, making her debut as a female lead in a mainstream action film.
Her film Match Point, directed by Woody Allen, opened in December of 2005. Johansson received her fourth Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress but lost to Rachel Weisz. Johansson's next film, Scoop, another collaboration with director Woody Allen, was released on July 28, 2006.
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* Scarlett Johansson stars in Woddy Allen's Scoop @ here
