Scarlett Johansson, the acclaimed actress known for her roles in Black Widow, Marriage Story and Lost in Translation, has opened up about why she typically declines fan photo requests when she’s off the clock. In a recent interview with InStyle, Johansson said her decision isn’t about ingratitude, it’s about preserving her sense of self and personal space when she isn’t working.
Johansson explained that she has a long-standing policy of not posing for photos with fans when she’s not at a professional event like a movie premiere or publicity appearance. “It really offends a lot of people,” she said, acknowledging that some fans take her refusal personally, but stressing that her stance doesn’t diminish her appreciation for their support.
The key, she said, is context. When Johansson is promoting a film or attending a public event, she understands fans want photos and is happy to engage. But when she’s simply going about her life — running errands, spending time with family or out for coffee, she wants to enjoy those moments without being publicly “identified” with someone else’s snapshot. “I’m not working,” she said, explaining that she doesn’t want to be seen in those private moments as part of her celebrity persona.
Johansson also touched on how being constantly recognizable can affect her frame of mind. She said she likes to be “in my own thoughts that have nothing to do with what other people think of me,” adding that being self-conscious in everyday life isn’t something she enjoys. The desire for anonymity is not unique to her but is something she deliberately protects.
That desire for privacy extends to her family as well. Johansson, who is married to Saturday Night Live co-host Colin Jost and is a mother, said the anonymity of her children is especially precious to her. She explained that while fame can be exciting, it comes with a “massive loss” of personal freedom that can’t be undone once it’s established. That reality, she said, is a significant factor in how she chooses to navigate public interactions.
Johansson’s candid comments shine a light on the challenge many high-profile actors face trying to strike a balance between accessibility to fans and maintaining ordinary moments of privacy. For her, that line is clear: photos are welcome during official appearances, but when she’s living her life off-set, she prefers to be left alone to simply be Scarlett, not a celebrity in someone’s phone gallery.
