Scarlett Johansson On Hitting Rock Bottom: ‘I’ve Lost Myself’

Scarlett Johansson spends quite a bit of time in the fantasy world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, playing Natasha Romanoff and her alter ego Black Widow in the Avengers films and also in the upcoming Captain America: Civil War film, but a recent interview reveals there is much more on Johansson’s mind than superheroes and fictional wars. Opening up in a new interview with Cosmopolitan, Scarlett reveals an intelligent and informed woman as well as an emotional human being capable of feeling as much pain and humiliation as anyone.

Captain America: Civil War Actress Scarlett Johansson Talks About Hitting Rock Bottom And Building Herself Back Up

Scarlett was refreshingly candid in her Cosmo interview, even in speaking of past romances that don’t necessarily put the Avengers actress in the best light. For instance, Johansson talks about one relationship she shared with an individual who was unavailable more often than not. Even though this romance occurred many years ago, Scarlett still seems affected by it today, as she talks about how this particular lover’s constant unavailability led Johansson to hit her breaking point.

“You have to get to your breaking point… rock bottom is the moment when you’re like, ‘I’ve lost myself. Why am I standing outside this bar at 1:30 in the morning texting while my friends are inside? Or taking a taxi to see him at some ungodly hour? This isn’t me.’ That is the moment you’ve gotta cut it off,” says Ms. Johansson. “Otherwise, it will keep coming back, suck your blood.”

That surely must have been long ago, because these days, Scarlett Johansson plays second fiddle to no one and the Captain America: Civil War star has better things to do than to hang around and wait for someone unworthy of her time. Johansson has left the dating scene in the past, now that she’s happily married to journalist Romain Dauriac. Scarlett and Romain celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary this past October.

Scarlett Expresses Some Unexpected Views In Talking About Planned Parenthood And The Wage Gap

Ms. Johansson reveals just how informed she is on current issues in responding to interview questions, and while Scarlett may not be as outspoken as some actresses, the Black Widow actress has some well-grounded views on political issues, particularly on those topics of interest to women. Ms. Johansson’s primary focus is on the defunding of Planned Parenthood, which the actress points out will result in eliminating some very essential services. She adds that there are any number of injustices and wars waged in the world at present, issues which the government should be focusing on, instead of making life harder for women in need.

“There are countries at war, there’s terrorism, global warming, and we’re like, ‘We should definitely cut the budget for Planned Parenthood. Let’s take away the availability of women’s health initiatives!’… It’s nuts.”

Scarlett points out that Planned Parenthood does more for women than to provide abortion services, and by cutting funding to this all too important social service, Johansson suggests the government is putting millions of women unnecessarily at a greater risk.

“We’re talking about preventing cervical and breast cancers. Growing up, I used [PP’s] services. All my girlfriends did—not just for birth control but for Pap smears and breast exams,” Scarlett says. “You read about the rise of back-alley abortions, women having to mutilate themselves and teenagers having to seek help in unsafe conditions, and for what?! We’re moving backward when we’re supposed to be moving forward.”

Unlike Jennifer Lawrence, Scarlett Johansson feels far too uncomfortable talking publicly about a wage gap that she says doesn’t affect her as an actress. Scarlett doesn’t feel at all underpaid, confirming that she does, in fact, receive equal pay to many of her male counterparts. Unlike the Hunger Games actress, Johansson recognizes that Hollywood studios base an actor’s pay on what they term his or her “star power” and not necessarily on the performer’s gender.

“I think every woman has [been underpaid], but unless I’m addressing it as a larger problem, for me to talk about my own personal experience with it feels a little obnoxious.”

Scarlett Johansson will join a star-studded cast that includes Tom Holland, Elizabeth Olsen, and Robert Downey, Jr., when Captain America: Civil War hits theaters on May 6.

[Image by Michael Buckner/Getty Images]