Abstract
This chapter looks to elements of Johansson’s performance across her body of work. Described as an actor who “oozes” on screen, Johansson’s performance is marked by a slowness and remoteness that forms a distinct relationship to time and space within the frame. This chapter engages with current turns in the analysis of acting, screen performance and stardom to consider what marks Johansson out as an actor. Looking across her body of work both within and outside of film, including her supporting roles, Hollywood breakthroughs, independent films, as well as her music videos and advertising work, this chapter charts Johansson’s style in performance as a distinctive element of her stardom.
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Notes
- 1.
A number of books, book chapters and articles have contributed to building a growing body of work on film performance, acting methods and the peculiarities of star actors. See for example books and edited collections by: James Naremore (1990), Lesley Stern and George Kouvaros (2000), Cynthia Baron, Diane Carson and Frank P. Tomasulo (2004), Pamela R. Wojcik (2004), Andrew Klevan (2005), Karen Hollinger (2006), Cynthia Baron and Sharon M. Carnicke (2008), Aaron Taylor (2012), and Kirsten Pullen (2014).
- 2.
See Naremore (1990) for extended discussion of representational versus presentational and ostentatious forms of acting.
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Stevens, K. (2019). Blank Stares and Blonde Hair: Performing Scarlett Johansson. In: Loreck, J., Monaghan, W., Stevens, K. (eds) Screening Scarlett Johansson. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-33196-2_3
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