Scarlett Johansson Youngest Recipient of American Cinematheque Award
On November 18th, 2021, at the Beverly Hilton, the American Cinematheque Board of Directors honored Black Widow‘s Scarlett Johansson with the 35th American Cinematheque Award. Since 1986, American Cinematheque Award has gone to “an extraordinary artist currently making a significant contribution to the art of the moving picture,” and “by picking up the prize this year at age 36, Johansson is the youngest honoree since Nicole Kidman in 2003,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
In receiving the honor, Johansson joins other A-listers including Eddie Murphy, Jodie Foster, Denzel Washington, Julia Roberts, Samuel L. Jackson, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, and Charlize Theron, as well as directors Ridley Scott, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Spike Lee.
35th Annual American Cinematheque Awards
The 35th Annual American Cinematheque Awards honored Johansson’s nearly 30 year career in the business. Among those in attendance to pay tribute to the actress, whose diverse résumé includes a Tony Award (A View from the Bridge) and two Oscar nominations (Jojo Rabbit, Marriage Story), were Marvel Studios Head Boss Kevin Feige, director Jon Favreau, and a handful of the company’s biggest stars: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Sam Rockwell, and Jeremy Renner.
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 18: Honoree Scarlett Johansson speaks onstage during the 35th Annual American Cinematheque Awards Honoring Scarlett Johansson at The Beverly Hilton on November 18, 2021 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo: Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for American Cinematheque
Once through the red carpet and questions about the lawsuit, Johansson had a chance to sip a glass of champagne (brought to her by hubby Colin Jost during the THR interview) and to listen to her friends and co-stars gush about her amazingness. Sounds like a pretty awesome night if you ask me.
1. Jon Favreau
Photo: Marvel
Favreau kicked off the tributes by telling the story of Johansson’s Natasha Romanoff audition for 2010’s Iron Man:
What struck me as odd was that she showed up with red hair to the meeting. Scarlett doesn’t have red hair but the character did. I was a bit taken aback by that and after she got the role I asked her, ‘Between you and me, did you just dye your hair just for the meeting?’ She’s like, ‘Yeah, I did … to show you that I was serious about it.
Listen to Favreau’s speech below:
Jon Favreau says Scarlett dyed her hair red for a meeting to get in character and she also did stunts with doubles hanging from wires to prove to she was serious. He called her “smart and funny.” pic.twitter.com/wYi6IjFT06
— Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) November 19, 2021
2. Chris Evans
Photo: Marvel
Evans, who appeared virtually, said that they did their first film together 20 years ago and described the bond they formed, both on and off set, saying:
We often say we have this brother-sister dynamic, with her being the older sister, even though I am technically older. I think the real reason is that there’s just no one else in the world that I would rather annoy. I don’t know what it is. I walk in the makeup trailer; I see her focusing, trying to think about the day and I just want to start singing show tunes 6 inches from her face. I can’t help myself.
Listen to Evan’s speech below:
https://twitter.com/chrissgardner/status/1461574761700487173?s=20
3. Kevin Feige
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 18: Kevin Feige, President, Marvel Studios and Chief Creative Officer, Marvel Entertainment, speaks onstage during the 35th Annual American Cinematheque Awards Honoring Scarlett Johansson at The Beverly Hilton on November 18, 2021 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for American Cinematheque)
Feige, who couldn’t help himself from saying he “may be biased,” gave the second-to-last speech of the evening, in which he honored her legacy as one of the first female superheroes, saying:
As Marvel’s Studios first and longest-running female hero, Scarlett has stood her ground amongst a sea of men — many named Chris — and paved the way for so many other characters in the MCU: Carol Danvers, Wanda Maximoff, Shuri, Jennifer Walters, Monica Rambeau, Kamala Khan, just to name but a few. Scarlett embodied Natasha brilliantly over an incredible action-packed period spanning 11 years, eight films featuring countless stunts and fight scenes, a Civil War, an Infinity War and dozens of different hairstyles, all culminating in one of the MCU’s most anticipated stand-alone movies, Black Widow.
Listen to Feige’s speech below:
Kevin Feige confirms from the stage another project with Scarlett. “We are already working with Scarlett on another non-Black Widow related top secret Marvel Studios project with her as a producer. Scarlett is one of the most talented, versatile and beloved actors of our time.” pic.twitter.com/5dKQeR0Lr5
— Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) November 19, 2021
4. Jeremy Renner
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – NOVEMBER 18: (L-R) Honoree Scarlett Johansson and Jeremy Renner speak onstage during the 35th Annual American Cinematheque Awards Honoring Scarlett Johansson at The Beverly Hilton on November 18, 2021 in Beverly Hills, California. Photo: Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for American Cinematheque
Then it was time for Renner to close out the program by presenting Johansson with her award, saying,“For a million reasons standing here tonight and a million reasons more that you don’t deserve to know, I feel tremendously honored to present this American Cinematheque Award to my favorite human and superhero.”
Listen to Renner’s speech below:
“I cannot understand how anyone could not love being in a literal and figurative foxhole with a truly stunning talent and a beautiful, powerful individual like Scarlett who I love and adore,” Jeremy Renner in presenting award to Scarlett Johansson and getting choked up in process pic.twitter.com/nBn4pP0Hhs
— Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) November 19, 2021
Johansson, Feige Tease “Top Secret” Project
On the red carpet, the Lost in Translation actress reconfirmed her commitment to Marvel Studios and said, “I have had some of the best times of my career working for both of those studios. I feel really excited that I get to continue my work with Disney and with my Marvel family.” Johansson added that she’s “already in the thick of it” on projects like Disney’s Tower of Terror movie as well as “some other projects that we’re working on.”
Photo: Scarlett Johansson
Although Johansson didn’t elaborate further, during his American Cinematheque tribute, Feige praised the actress for her “talent” and “vision,” and teased that he’s partnering with the actress, who become the first ever MCU actor to executive produce one of the studio’s films with Black Widow, on “another non-Black Widow-related top-secret Marvel Studios project with her as a producer.”
