Career Timeline of Scarlett Johansson: Major Achievements and Milestones
From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Scarlett Johansson made an impact.
Scarlett Johansson is a highly successful American actress and singer, recognized as the world's highest-paid actress in 2018 and 2019. Her significant influence has earned her a spot on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list multiple times and recognition by Time as one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2021. Johansson holds the distinction of being the highest-grossing box office female star, with her films grossing over $15.4 billion globally. Her achievements have been acknowledged with awards, including a British Academy Film Award and a Tony Award, along with nominations for two Academy Awards and five Golden Globe Awards.
1994: Film Debut in North
In 1994, Scarlett Johansson made her film debut as John Ritter's daughter in the fantasy comedy 'North', marking the start of her film career.
1995: Minor Role in Just Cause
In 1995, Scarlett Johansson played a minor role as the daughter of Sean Connery's and Kate Capshaw's characters in the mystery thriller 'Just Cause'.
1996: Early Recognition for Manny & Lo
In 1996, Scarlett Johansson gained early recognition for her role in 'Manny & Lo', which helped establish her as a promising young actress.
1996: First Leading Role in Manny & Lo
In 1996, Scarlett Johansson landed her first leading role as Amanda in 'Manny & Lo', receiving positive reviews for her performance.
1997: Appearances in Fall and Home Alone 3
In 1997, Scarlett Johansson appeared in minor roles in the films 'Fall' and 'Home Alone 3'.
1998: Role in The Horse Whisperer
In 1998, Scarlett Johansson appeared in 'The Horse Whisperer', further enhancing her reputation as a talented young actress.
1998: Wider Attention for The Horse Whisperer
In 1998, Scarlett Johansson attracted wider attention for her performance in 'The Horse Whisperer', where she received an "introducing" credit.
1999: Appearance in My Brother the Pig
In 1999, Scarlett Johansson appeared in the film 'My Brother the Pig'.
2001: Breakthrough Role in Ghost World
In 2001, Scarlett Johansson had her breakthrough role playing a cynical outcast in 'Ghost World', which premiered at the Seattle International Film Festival.
2001: Role in Ghost World
In 2001, Scarlett Johansson starred in 'Ghost World', continuing to build her profile as a versatile actress.
2002: Appearance in Eight Legged Freaks and Rejection from NYU
In 2002, Scarlett Johansson appeared in 'Eight Legged Freaks' and, after graduating from Professional Children's School, was rejected from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.
2003: Role in Girl with a Pearl Earring
In 2003, Scarlett Johansson played Griet in 'Girl with a Pearl Earring', receiving positive reviews for her performance and earning a BAFTA Award for Best Actress.
2003: Transition to Adult Roles with Lost in Translation and Girl with a Pearl Earring
In 2003, Scarlett Johansson transitioned from teen to adult roles with 'Lost in Translation' and 'Girl with a Pearl Earring'.
2004: Role in A Love Song for Bobby Long
In 2004, Scarlett Johansson gained praise for playing a troubled teenager in 'A Love Song for Bobby Long'.
2004: Five Film Releases Including A Love Song for Bobby Long
In 2004, Scarlett Johansson had five film releases, including 'A Love Song for Bobby Long', for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination.
2004: Voice Role in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie and Role in In Good Company
In 2004, Scarlett Johansson voiced Princess Mindy in 'The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie' and appeared in 'In Good Company', with both roles being well-received.
2005: Oxfam Global Ambassador
In 2005, Scarlett Johansson became a global ambassador for Oxfam, an aid and development agency.
2005: Role in Match Point and The Island
In 2005, Scarlett Johansson played Nola in Woody Allen's 'Match Point' and starred in Michael Bay's 'The Island', earning nominations for her performance in 'Match Point'.
2005: Role in Match Point
In 2005, Scarlett Johansson starred as a seductress in 'Match Point', marking her first collaboration with Woody Allen.
2005: Match Point Premiere
In 2005, Scarlett Johansson starred in Match Point, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
2006: Roles in Scoop and The Black Dahlia
In 2006, Scarlett Johansson appeared in Woody Allen's 'Scoop' and Brian De Palma's 'The Black Dahlia', exploring the world of stage magicians in both films.
2006: Collaboration with Woody Allen in Scoop and Role in The Prestige
In 2006, Scarlett Johansson collaborated with Woody Allen in 'Scoop' and appeared in 'The Prestige'.
2006: Unexpected Dreams
In 2006, Scarlett Johansson sang the track "Summertime" for Unexpected Dreams – Songs from the Stars, a non-profit collection of songs recorded by Hollywood actors.
2006: Starred in 'When the Deal Goes Down' and 'The Prestige'
In 2006, Scarlett Johansson starred in the short film 'When the Deal Goes Down' to accompany a Bob Dylan song. She also had a supporting role in Christopher Nolan's 'The Prestige' as the assistant and lover of Hugh Jackman's character. The Prestige was a critical and box office success, though some critics were skeptical of Johansson's performance.
April 2007: Coachella Performance
In April 2007, Scarlett Johansson performed with the Jesus and Mary Chain for a Coachella reunion show in Indio, California.
2007: Anti-poverty campaign
In 2007, Scarlett Johansson participated in the ONE anti-poverty campaign organized by Bono.
2007: Release of 'The Nanny Diaries'
In 2007, Scarlett Johansson's sole release was 'The Nanny Diaries', where she played a college graduate working as a nanny. Reviews of her performance were mixed.
March 2008: eBay auction for Oxfam
In March 2008, a bidder paid £20,000 on eBay to benefit Oxfam, winning a date with Johansson at a movie premiere.
May 2008: Anywhere I Lay My Head Album Release
In May 2008, Scarlett Johansson released her debut album Anywhere I Lay My Head, which consists of one original song and ten cover versions of Tom Waits songs, and features David Bowie and members from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Celebration.
2008: Role in Vicky Cristina Barcelona and Release of Anywhere I Lay My Head Album
In 2008, Scarlett Johansson appeared in 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona' and released her album 'Anywhere I Lay My Head'.
September 2009: Break Up Album Release
In September 2009, Scarlett Johansson and singer-songwriter Pete Yorn released a collaborative album, Break Up, inspired by Serge Gainsbourg's duets with Brigitte Bardot.
2009: Role in 'He's Just Not That into You'
In 2009, Scarlett Johansson played Anna Marks, a yoga instructor, in the ensemble comedy-drama 'He's Just Not That into You'. The film received tepid reviews but was a box office success.
2009: Release of Break Up Album
In 2009, Scarlett Johansson released her album 'Break Up', which charted on the Billboard 200.
2009: Mango Representation
Since 2009, Scarlett Johansson has represented the Spanish brand Mango.
2010: Broadway Debut and Black Widow Role
In 2010, Scarlett Johansson debuted on Broadway in 'A View from the Bridge' and began portraying Black Widow in 'Iron Man 2'.
2010: Broadway Debut in 'A View from the Bridge' and Tony Award
In 2010, Scarlett Johansson made her Broadway debut in a revival of Arthur Miller's 'A View from the Bridge'. She played Catherine, and won the 2010 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play, which garnered some controversy.
2010: Steel Train Collaboration
In 2010, Scarlett Johansson sang "Bullet" on Steel Train's album Terrible Thrills Vol. 1.
2010: Cast as Black Widow in 'Iron Man 2'
In 2010, Scarlett Johansson secured the part of Black Widow in 'Iron Man 2' after Emily Blunt had to drop out. She dyed her hair red to convince the director she was right for the part and undertook stunt and strength training. 'Iron Man 2' earned $623.9 million and received generally positive reviews, though some criticized her character's writing.
2011: Role in 'We Bought a Zoo'
In 2011, Scarlett Johansson played Kelly, a zookeeper, in the family film 'We Bought a Zoo'. The film received mainly favorable reviews, and she earned a Teen Choice Award nomination for her performance.
2011: Wretches & Jabberers Soundtrack
In 2011, Scarlett Johansson sang "One Whole Hour" for the soundtrack of the documentary film Wretches & Jabberers.
2012: Starred in 'The Avengers' and 'Hitchcock'
In 2012, Scarlett Johansson played Black Widow in 'The Avengers', which broke box office records. Later in 2012, she portrayed Janet Leigh in 'Hitchcock', a behind-the-scenes drama about the making of 'Psycho'.
2012: Chasing Ice Soundtrack
In 2012, Scarlett Johansson sang on a J. Ralph track entitled "Before My Time" for the end credits of the climate documentary Chasing Ice.
January 2013: Starred in Broadway revival of 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'
In January 2013, Scarlett Johansson starred in a Broadway revival of 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'. Her performance received mixed reviews.
2013: Starred in 'Under the Skin'
In 2013, Scarlett Johansson starred in Jonathan Glazer's 'Under the Skin' as an extraterrestrial creature preying on men in Scotland. The film and her performance received positive reviews.
2013: Roles in Her and Under the Skin
In 2013, Scarlett Johansson starred in the science fiction films 'Her' and 'Under the Skin'.
2013: Voiced Samantha in 'Her'
In 2013, Scarlett Johansson voiced the character Samantha in Spike Jonze's film 'Her'. She won Best Actress at the Rome International Film Festival for this role.
January 2014: SodaStream Global Ambassador
In January 2014, the Israeli company SodaStream hired Scarlett Johansson as its first global brand ambassador.
February 2, 2014: SodaStream Commercial at Super Bowl
On February 2, 2014, Scarlett Johansson's relationship with SodaStream commenced with a television commercial during Super Bowl XLVIII.
2014: Roles in 'Chef' and 'Lucy'
In 2014, Scarlett Johansson played a supporting role in the film 'Chef'. Also in 2014, she starred as the title character in Luc Besson's 'Lucy', which was a box office success.
2014: Reprised Black Widow in 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier'
In 2014, Scarlett Johansson reprised her role as Black Widow in 'Captain America: The Winter Soldier'. The film was a critical and commercial success.
2014: Starring Role in Lucy
In 2014, Scarlett Johansson starred in the science fiction film 'Lucy'.
February 2015: Forms The Singles
In February 2015, Scarlett Johansson formed a band called the Singles with Este Haim from HAIM, Holly Miranda, Kendra Morris, and Julia Haltigan.
2015: Black Widow in 'Avengers: Age of Ultron'
In 2015, Scarlett Johansson again played Black Widow in the MCU film 'Avengers: Age of Ultron'.
2016: Skin-Tight Catsuit
In 2016, Scarlett Johansson cautioned that she may not want to wear a "skin-tight catsuit" for much longer, as a comment on the delays of producing a stand-alone Black Widow movie.
2016: The Jungle Book and Sing Soundtracks
In 2016, Scarlett Johansson performed "Trust in Me" for The Jungle Book soundtrack and "Set It All Free" and "I Don't Wanna" for Sing: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack.
March 2017: Hosted Saturday Night Live for the fifth time
In March 2017, Scarlett Johansson hosted Saturday Night Live for the fifth time, becoming the 17th person and fourth woman to enter the Five-Timers Club.
2018: Apart EP Release
In 2018, Scarlett Johansson collaborated with Pete Yorn again for an EP titled Apart, released June 1.
2018: Voiced Nutmeg in 'Isle of Dogs' and reprised Black Widow in 'Avengers: Infinity War'
In 2018, Scarlett Johansson voiced Nutmeg in Wes Anderson's 'Isle of Dogs' and reprised her MCU role as Black Widow in 'Avengers: Infinity War'.
2018: Highest-Paid Actress
In 2018, Scarlett Johansson was recognized as the world's highest-paid actress, highlighting her successful career and significant earnings.
September 2019: Box Office Success
As of September 2019, Scarlett Johansson's films have grossed over $5.2 billion in North America and over $14.3 billion worldwide, making her the third-highest-grossing box-office star of all time both domestically and worldwide as well as the highest-grossing actress of all time in North America.
2019: Academy Award Nominations for Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit
In 2019, Scarlett Johansson received two simultaneous Academy Award nominations for her roles in 'Marriage Story' and 'Jojo Rabbit'.
2019: Avengers: Endgame and Marriage Story
In 2019, Scarlett Johansson reprised her role as Black Widow in Avengers: Endgame. She also starred in Marriage Story, and received Academy Award nominations for both Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit, becoming the twelfth performer to be nominated for two Oscars in the same year.
2019: Highest-Paid Actress Again
In 2019, Scarlett Johansson was once again the world's highest-paid actress, reinforcing her prominent status in the film industry.
December 2020: Release of Egyptian civil rights members
In December 2020, after Scarlett Johansson's advocacy, three members of the Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights were released from prison in Egypt.
2021: Black Widow Solo Film
In 2021, Scarlett Johansson reprised her role as Black Widow in her own solo prequel film, where she also served as an executive producer. She also won The Female Movie Star of 2021 at the 47th People's Choice Awards for the film and reprised her voice role as Ash in Sing 2.
2021: Solo Feature in Black Widow
In 2021, Scarlett Johansson starred in her solo feature 'Black Widow', solidifying her global stardom.
2022: The Outset
In 2022, Scarlett Johansson founded the plant-based skincare line, The Outset, with Kate Foster.
2023: Asteroid City
In 2023, Scarlett Johansson returned to the screen with Wes Anderson's comedy Asteroid City, where she led an ensemble cast. For the film, she took a substantial pay cut, earning $4,131 a week.
2024: Fly Me to the Moon and Transformers One
In 2024, Scarlett Johansson produced and starred in Fly Me to the Moon, opposite Channing Tatum, through her production company These Pictures. She also voiced Elita-1 in Transformers One.
