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Biography

Scarlett Johansson (born November 22, 1984) is an American actress. She rose to fame with her role in 1998's The Horse Whisperer and subsequently gained critical acclaim for her roles in Ghost World, Lost in Translation and Girl with a Pearl Earring, the latter two earning her Golden Globe Award nominations in 2003. Johansson was born in New York City. Her father, Karsten Johansson, is a Danish-born architect, and her paternal grandfather, Ejner Johansson, was a screenwriter and director. Her mother, Melanie Sloan, a producer, comes from a Jewish American family from the Bronx. Johansson's parents met in Denmark, where her mother lived with 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, from her father's re-marriage. Johansson grew up in a household with "little money" with a mother who was a "film buff". Johansson began her theater training by attending and graduating from Professional Children's School in Manhattan in 2002.



Her newest film, The Nanny Diaries, in which she stars alongside Alicia Keys, opened on August 24, 2007. In post-production as of August 2007, Johansson stars opposite Natalie Portman and Eric Bana in The Other Boleyn Girl, playing Mary Boleyn. Also in August 2007, she is filming her third Woody Allen film, his "Untitled Spanish Project", in Barcelona. Johansson has signed on for three new projects. She was cast to the femme fatale Silk N Floss opposite Gabriel Macht in Frank Miller’s noir comedy adaptation of Will Eisner's comic The Spirit.



The movie is scheduled to go into production October 2007. She will also portray Mary, Queen of Scots in a film scheduled to begin production in March 2008 and appear as a pilates instructor in He's Just Not That Into You, with Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Kevin Connolly, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Justin Long. The film is directed by Ken Kwapis and produced by Barrymore. In 2005, Johansson was considered for the role of Maria in Andrew Lloyd Webber's West End stage version of The Sound of Music, though the role ultimately went to newcomer Connie Fisher after she won BBC's talent show "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?" Released May 8, 2006, Johansson sang the track "Summertime" for Unexpected Dreams - Songs from the Stars, a non-profit collection of songs recorded by Hollywood actors.



She also performed with The Jesus And Mary Chain for a special Coachella Reunion Show in Indio, California in April 2007. In the summer of 2007, Johansson spent about a month in Maurice, Louisiana recording an album at Dockside Studio, a rural 12-acre complex. The album, entitled Scarlett Sings Tom Waits, consists entirely of Johansson's cover versions of Tom Waits songs. It is being produced by Dave Sitek of TV on the Radio, features members from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Celebration, and is scheduled for release on October 7, 2007. In 2006, Johansson was the leading lady in Bob Dylan's music video for "When the Deal Goes Down". In 2007, she appeared as the leading lady in Justin Timberlake's music video for "What Goes Around.../...Comes Around Interlude," nominated August 2007 for video of the year at the MTV Video Music Awards. In July 2006, Reebok signed a deal with Johansson to co-create "Scarlett 'Hearts' Rbk," athletic footwear scheduled for a debut in the spring of 2007.



Johansson will also be featured in Reebok's global women's advertising campaign, also in the spring of 2007. The company's press releases described Johansson as a "world renowned style icon" and an "inspiration for today's young women." Johansson appeared on the controversial cover of the February 2006 issue of Vanity Fair in the nude with fellow Hollywood "it girl" Keira Knightley and world-renowned fashion designer Tom Ford. Johansson is a Democrat and campaigned for John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election. She was later quoted as saying, of George W. Bush's re-election, that " disappointed. I think it was a disappointment for a large percentage of the population." Johansson has also taken part in the anti-poverty campaign ONE which was organised by U2 lead singer Bono.



Johansson has repeatedly said that she does not believe in monogamy, and that it is not human nature to be with just one person. She has also said that "contrary to popular belief... not promiscuous" and she works "really hard" when she is in a relationship "to make it work in a monogamous way." She gets tested for HIV twice a year, and has specified that she feels "it's part of being a decent human" and that she finds it "disgusting" and "irresponsible" when people do not do so. When asked about her religious affiliation, Johansson has answered: "That's a very personal question. I would rather not answer."



She has, however, specified that she celebrates a "little of both" referring to Christmas and Hanukkah. She has noted that she dislikes it when celebrities thank God or Jesus in their award acceptance speeches. She described herself as Jewish when she was talking about Woody Allen. "I just adore Woody," she says. "We have a lot in common. We're New Yorkers, Jewish. We have a very easygoing relationship".