Scarlett Johansson on politically correct casting: 'I should be allowed to play any person'
By Jessica Napoli | Fox News
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Scarlett Johansson opened up about her long acting career and how the industry has changed from when she began as a teen.
The 34-year-old has played many different types of character but was recently criticized for accepting a role to play a transgender man in the upcoming film "Rub & Tug."
After backlash for the casting decision and intense pressure from social media about not having a trans actor play the part, Johansson dropped out of the film.
The "Avengers" star addressed what she called "political correctness" in the casting process in an interview with As If magazine.
"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," she explained.
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"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," Johansson added.
"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," she continued.
Johansson revealed that during the making of a movie, so many changes usually happen that the end result is different from the original version she signed up for.
The final cut is "usually different from the movie I thought I was making. It’s very rare that it’s what I thought I was making. Sometimes it’s devastating, and sometimes it’s a pleasant surprise."
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In July 2018, Johansson first addressed her casting as a trans man in a statement to Out magazine. “I understand why many feel Dante ‘Tex’ Gill should be portrayed by a transgender person,” she said.
“I’ve learned a lot from the community since making my first statement about my casting and realize it was insensitive,” she added. “I am thankful that this casting debate, albeit controversial, has sparked a larger conversation about diversity and representation in film.”
Johansson also caught heat for her role in the 2017 movie "Ghost in a Shell," which was an adaptation of a Japanese manga. She played the lead character, who was originally Asian in the source material, and was accused of whitewashing.
