Scarlett Johansson has addressed a recent Saturday Night Live joke about her, calling it “vulgar” and “really gross,” while also shutting down speculation that she may reprise her role as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
In a recent interview with InStyle, Johansson reflected on the joke delivered by her husband, Colin Jost, during SNL’s “joke swap” segment. The joke, written by Michael Che, likened Costco’s discontinued roast beef sandwich to Johansson’s anatomy. “It was so vulgar,” she said. “I just can’t believe that they went there. It was really gross. And, like, old-school gross.” Johansson was watching backstage during the December SNL episode when Jost read the joke live.
Jost later commented on the joke during an appearance on The Tonight Show, saying his wife was “genuinely shocked.”
Johansson also reiterated that her time as Natasha Romanoff in the MCU has come to an end. “Natasha is dead. She is dead. She’s dead. Okay?” she said. Despite speculation and continued fan theories about ways the character could return, Johansson emphasized that Natasha’s arc concluded with her sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame. “They’re like, ‘But she could come back!’ Look, I think the balance of the entire universe is held in her hand. We’re going to have to let it go. She saved the world. Let her have her hero moment.”
Johansson first played Natasha Romanoff in Iron Man 2 (2010) and reprised the role in multiple MCU films. After Endgame, she returned for the Black Widow solo film in 2021, which served as a prequel and introduced Florence Pugh’s Yelena Belova as her successor. While Johansson served as an executive producer on Thunderbolts, a film featuring Yelena and other characters tied to Black Widow, she made it clear that she would not be reprising her role in upcoming films.
Speculation about Johansson’s return persists, particularly with rumors surrounding Avengers: Secret Wars and Avengers: Doomsday. However, Johansson maintains that her time as Black Widow is over. While she has expressed interest in exploring aspects of Natasha’s past, particularly her relationship with Hawkeye, she reiterated that her chapter in the franchise has closed.
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Beyond the MCU, Johansson also shared her approach to interacting with fans. She explained that she does not take photos with fans outside of events, preferring to maintain a clear boundary between her personal and professional life. While this decision has disappointed some, she emphasized the importance of keeping certain aspects of her life private.
