With roles in films like Lucy, Fly Me to the Moon, and, of course, her run as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Scarlett Johansson established herself as one of the best actresses of her time. She is currently the highest-grossing actor, with her film collection having made over $16 million at the box office (via The Numbers), including supporting roles.
While Johansson has starred in some unforgettable films, she unfortunately lost out on quite a few titles that went on to be great hits. Let’s take a look at seven roles ScarJo ended up losing to another actress for one reason or another, including the childhood favorite, Jumanji.
1 Scarlett Johansson Lost Jumanji to Kirsten Dunst
Johansson was 11 years old when she auditioned for the role of Judy Shepherd in the 1995 film. While the actress saw much success as a child actor, Jumanji just wasn’t the one for her, and she ended up losing the role to Kirsten Dunst, who went on to do a fabulous job.
TitleJumanji Release DateDecember 15, 1995IMDb 7.1/10Rotten Tomatoes55%Where to WatchRent/buy on Prime Video
Take a look at Johansson’s audition tape for the film, in which she very confidently delivers her lines in front of the camera:
During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Johansson admitted that while she was okay with losing the role back then, she grew up with just a tad bit of resentment. She said, “Yeah, I saw ‘Jumanji’, but I liked it. I liked ‘Jumanji’…No, I wasn’t bitter enough then. Now I’m bitter about it.“
2 The Role Scarlett Johansson Had to Give Up Due to Sickness
Anne Hathaway in Les Misérables | Credits: Universal Pictures
In the same conversation with Howard Stern, Johansson also revealed that she had auditioned for the critically acclaimed Les Misérables (2012), starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Eddie Redmayne, and more.
TitleLes MisérablesRelease DateDecember 25, 2012IMDb 7.5/10Rotten Tomatoes70%Where to WatchStream on Kanopy
Johansson auditioned to play Fantine, the struggling factory worker and mother of Cosette, but unfortunately, she was suffering from laryngitis at the time, and the role eventually went to Anne Hathaway.
She told the host,
I had laryngitis, but I tried. But I don’t know if that’s why I didn’t get it. I probably didn’t get it because I wasn’t right for it. [Stern: Anne Hathaway got it] and she was great in that film.
She once told Broadway Buzz that she sang her “little heart out“, before adding, “The jazz hands kid inside me was just over the moon! And I auditioned with laryngitis.“
Since its release, the film has been considered one of the best musicals of our time, and the performances have also been praised endlessly. In fact, the role of Fantine earned Hathaway her second Oscar nomination and first win at the 85th Academy Awards.
Johansson also praised Hathaway’s performance, stating, “There’s no possible way I ever could have topped that…It was perfect and I think fateful and meant to be.“
3 Scarlett Johansson Lost Another Role to Kirsten Dunst
Kirsten Dunst in Elizabethtown | Credits: Paramount Pictures
According to Looper, Johansson lost another role to Dunst – Claire Colburn of Elizabethtown (2005). The film revolves around Claire, who teaches a depressed Drew Baylor (Orlando Bloom) how to live, love, and laugh again with her bubbly personality.
TitleElizabethtownRelease DateOctober 14, 2005IMDb 6.3/10Rotten Tomatoes27%Where to WatchRent/buy on Prime Video
While Johansson is undoubtedly an incredible actress, it’s probably for the best that she didn’t land the film since the character wouldn’t have suited her as much as it did Dunst.
Elizabethtown was neither a commercial success nor a critical one, and Johansson doesn’t need to lose sleep over this one.
4 Reason Why ScarJo Was Not Cast in This David Fincher Film
A still from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo | Credits: Sony Pictures Releasing
Now, Johansson would have been a good choice for David Fincher‘s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), but unfortunately for her, the lead role of Lisbeth Salander went to Rooney Mara instead. The film received 5 nominations at the 84th Academy Awards, including a Best Actress nomination for Mara. It won Best Film Editing.
TitleThe Girl with the Dragon TattooRelease DateDecember 21, 2011IMDb 7.8/10Rotten Tomatoes86%Where to WatchStream on MGM+/MGM+ via Prime Video
Talking to Vogue back in 2011, Fincher seemingly suggested that Johansson was just too sexy to play Lisbeth. He stated,
We flew in people from New Zealand and Swaziland and all over the place. Look, we saw some amazing people. Scarlett Johansson was great. It was a great audition, I’m telling you. But the thing with Scarlett is, you can’t wait for her to take her clothes off.
The reasoning behind not casting Johansson may be a bit weird, but Mara clearly was the right choice at the end of the day.
5 Scarlett Johansson Was a Close Second for V for Vendetta
Natalie Portman in V for Vendetta | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
Natalie Portman played the role of Evey Hammond in 2005’s V for Vendetta, but according to reports, Johansson was a close second when it came to choosing V’s protégé.
TitleV for VendettaRelease DateMarch 17, 2006 (Theatrical Release)IMDb 8.1/10Rotten Tomatoes73%Where to WatchRent/buy on Prime Video
That year, all was not lost for Johansson as she got a chance to work with Christopher Nolan for his sci-fi psychological thriller, The Prestige (2006). A few years later, she became a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as did Portman.
6 The Loss That Made Scarlett Johansson Question Herself
Sandra Bullock in Gravity | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures
Sandra Bullock was perfection in Gravity (2013), but other actresses came close to playing Ryan Stone, including Johansson. She recalled her weird audition story to Entertainment Tonight, stating, “I did a screen test for the movie ‘Gravity,’ that Sandra Bullock is fantastic in, but I had to be in like the full, whole space suit thing, and sort of pretend I was kind of like floating in space.”
TitleGravityRelease DateOctober 4, 2013IMDb 7.7/10Rotten Tomatoes96%Where to WatchRent/buy on Prime Video
Unfortunately, the role just wasn’t made for Johasson, and she ended up losing it to its rightful owner, Bullock. While opportunities come and go, it was around this time that the actress started questioning everything.
She told Variety,
I got turned down for two roles — the first was ‘Iron Man 2’ and then the other one was Alfonso Cuarón’s ‘Gravity.’ I had wanted that role so much. It was sort of the straw that broke the camel’s back. I felt really frustrated and hopeless. Like, ‘Am I doing the right job?’ The work I was being offered felt deeply unfulfilling. I think I was offered every Marilyn Monroe script ever. I was like, ‘Is this the end of the road creatively?’
For context, Marvel Studios had cast Emily Blunt as Black Widow before Johansson took over for good. As for Gravity, the film received ten Oscar nominations at the 86th Academy Awards, including a Best Actress nomination for Bullock.
7 Scarlett Johansson Lost The Parent Trap
A still from The Parent Trap
Lindsay Lohan‘s double trouble role as twins Annie & Hallie will always be someone’s comfort watch, for all the right reasons. Johansson told Stern that she auditioned to play the matchmaking sisters, but it was just not meant to be.
TitleThe Parent TrapRelease DateJuly 29, 1998IMDb 6.7/10Rotten Tomatoes87%Where to WatchStream on Disney+
Turns out, she is still quite bitter about it. When the host asked if she had ever gone to see the film, she replied, “No, I don’t think so. I started to get bitter at that point. It was hard for me.“
And that’s seven films Johansson lost out on. It’s safe to say that while some of these were missed opportunities, they did not affect her career at all. She is still the reigning champion!
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