Despite being super famous, Scarlett Johanssonis the type of celebrity who seems to balance her work and private life extremely well. But that didn’t just magically happen.
The “Avengers” alum told InStyle in a profile published Tuesday that long ago she created a firm boundary with fans that she encounters in the wild and off the clock. Basically, unless she’s at an event in which she’s working — like a red carpet or doing hosting duties at “Today”— she does not take photos with fans.
“It really offends a lot of people,” Johansson said. “It doesn’t mean I’m not appreciative, of course, that people are fans, or happy to see me. But I always say to people, ‘I’m not working.’ [And that means] I don’t want to be identified as being in this time and place with you. I’m doing my own thing.”
“I like to be in my own thoughts that have nothing to do with what other people think of me,” she said. “I don’t like being self-conscious.”
Although some fans might get salty that they don’t have photographic proof that they met Black Widow in real life, Johansson says that holding firm on this boundary allows her to live a more normal life.
“I want to go and buy my own shit at Duane Reade,” she said.
The “Marriage Story” star’s overt admission that she sticks to her boundaries despite some fans’ chagrin aligns with those set by pop star Chappell Roan.
Last summer, Roan became an overnight sensation thanks to her hit single “Good Luck, Babe” when she was previously considered more of a niche artist for years. Yet, for Roan, her seemingly quick ascent to fame also came with a rude awakening.
After a string of very uncomfortable encounters with fans, Roan posted a video to social media in August 2024 in which she bluntly told fans to back off.
“I don’t care that abuse and harassment, stalking, whatever, is a normal thing to do to people who are famous or a little famous, whatever. I don’t care that it’s normal.”
She continued,“I’m allowed to say no to creepy behavior.”
Although Roan initially got some pushback from fans for being so frank, the Grammy-winner’s reasons for posting this video make total sense.
The “Hot to Go” singer told Rolling Stone in September that she had two back-to-back incidents that made her feel extremely uncomfortable.
She told the magazine that last August, a fan grabbed her and kissed her without consent while she was out celebrating a friend’s birthday. Later that same evening, Roan learned that her father’s phone number had been leaked online and people were calling him. She also noted to the magazine that prior to this, she had been harassed by a fan whom she refused to take a photo with, and had to hire security to deal with a stalker.
Johansson told InStyle that despite the initial backlash Roan experienced for setting a boundary with her fans, she instantly related with Roan’s plight.
“Like everybody else, I fell in love with her over the summer,” Johansson said of Roan. “She’s very outspoken about how hard it’s been to adjust to fame.”
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The “Lost in Translation” star added that budding on her own boundaries is ultimately a losing battle.
“The thing about being a public figure is that the idea of being recognizable and celebrated feels fun, but then you can never stuff it back in the bottle,” she said.