Scarlett Johansson, best known for her roles in Avengers, Black Widow, and many other hit films, recently opened up about how female roles in Hollywood have changed over the years. In a conversation with Variety, she shared her personal experiences and how the industry has evolved since she began acting.

Early Roles Focused on Desirability

Scarlett explained that when she started her career, she often got roles that focused mainly on her looks and how desirable she appeared to men. These roles mostly revolved around male characters and their stories.

She said, "But when I was younger, a lot of the roles I was offered, or I went for, had their ambitions or character arcs revolving around their desirability, or the male gaze, or a male-centred story. That is less frequent, though; something has shifted."

Change Is Happening

Now, Scarlett believes things are improving for women in Hollywood. She feels that there are more strong female characters and greater opportunities to play well-rounded roles.

She added, "The messaging is different, there are many more role models, women are visible in powerful positions, and the opportunities I have had to play women who don't have to be just one thing or another have increased."

Struggles With Early Stereotyping

Scarlett has spoken out before about being hypersexualised at a young age in the film industry. In 2022, she shared how this limited her chances to take on different kinds of roles.

"I kind of became objectified and pigeonholed in this way where I felt like I wasn't getting offers for work for things that I wanted to do," she said.

She also remembered how it affected her self-image. "I remember thinking to myself, 'I think people think I'm 40 years old.' It somehow stopped being something that was desirable and something that I was fighting against," she added.

Hollywood Is Slowly Transforming

Scarlett’s story shows how Hollywood has shifted over the years. Earlier, roles focused on how women looked through a male lens. Now, the industry is slowly offering more meaningful and diverse roles for women. Her experiences reflect both the challenges and progress seen in the film world.