Exploring Scarlett Johansson's Versatile Acting Range Beyond the MCU
By Published May 7, 2026, 8:30 AM EDT Kevin Pantoja is a writer and editor at Screen Rant based in New York City, where he brings deep expertise in blockbuster franchises ranging from Harry Potter and Spider‑Man to Succession and the MCU. A passionate storyteller with a creative writing degree (Valedictorian, Full Sail University), Kevin blends entertainment news, feature essays, and pop‑culture commentary into engaging, audience-first content Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap
Scarlett Johansson is one of the biggest actors in Hollywood. Her movies have combined to gross more than $15 billion at the global box office, she has lent her voice to some of the top animated films in recent memory, she has appeared in a handful of major franchises, and she has multiple Academy Award nominations under her belt. Natasha Romanoff of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is easily her most iconic character.
Johansson has played and had a major role in eight of them. While that might be the kind of character people most know Johansson for, it's actually not her best role. That's actually a testament to her versatility because, though we know her for action roles, her performances are better when she's showcasing her range, from a Tony nomination on the stage to an Oscar nod for a ridiculous comedy.
In fact, two of her very best performances are in the kinds of films you probably wouldn't expect. Along with the movies themselves being quite different, they also required the opposite kind of performance from Johansson. One only utilizes her impressive voice acting skills, while the other shows that she can do a lot without saying much of anything.
Scarlett Johansson Is Great In Under The Skin But Barely Speaks
Most casual moviegoers wouldn't mention 2013's when discussing the best Scarlett Johansson movies and that's because most everyday fans don't even know it exists. Based on the 2000 novel of the same name by Michael Faber, Under the Skin is a sci-fi film from Switzerland that was made on a relatively small budget and only grossed back less than $10 million. It arrived in the midst of Johansson's height as an MCU star, too.
Under the Skin focuses on a stranger who walks the streets of Glasgow and seduces men who are actually her prey. She gets them to fall under her spell and lures them into unsuspecting danger. Saying too much more would give away the best parts of the film, but Johansson plays this stranger, simply known as the Female, and is fantastic. What makes this such an impressive performance for Johansson is that she barely has to say any dialogue.
It's difficult for an actor to completely enthrall the audience without saying much. The actress relies on subtle movements, robot motions, and her physicality is crucial. Johansson also maintains eye contact at points that pull the viewer in, almost trapping them under the same spell that her prey falls into on the screen. It's one of her best performances, especially since it's such a departure from the roles that everyone knows her for.
Her Features The Best Voice Work Of Scarlett Johansson's Career
Less than two months after Under the Skin had its premiere, another unique Scarlett Johansson role debuted. will go down as one of her best films and it received sparkling reviews, yet Johansson isn't seen a single time in this project. The movie, written and directed by Spike Jonze, tells the story of a lonely, introverted man named Theodore, who purchases a copy of an artificial intelligence operating system.
Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) chooses to give the OS a female voice, which Scarlett Johansson provides. He ultimately falls in love with the operating system, which allows the film to work as a tragic romance that also marks an early look at the way many people would come to rely on artificial intelligence, even to their own detriment. One of the most praised aspects of the film was the performance of Johansson. You fully buy into her connection with the protagonist even though we never see her.
Johansson manages to give a lot of personality to an operating system in a way that makes her feel almost human, yet there's still clear evidence that she isn't. It requires a level of balance that is the mark of a great performance. Johansson has done voice work elsewhere, from Transformers One to Isle of Dogs, yet her best voice acting comes in a completely live-action film, which you don't see every day.
The Other Best Performances In Johansson's Career
Choosing the very best performances of Scarlett Johansson's career isn't an easy task. As noted, the actress has been nominated for several major awards and has played some iconic characters. While Under the Skin and Her are certainly in the conversation, they are far from alone. A good place to look is Johansson's early performance in Ghost World. However, her breakout role as Charlotte in Lost in Translation is stellar. Many believed she deserved an Oscar nomination, though she did score a Golden Globe nod and won a BAFTA for it.
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The 2000s continued to showcase her talents, with impressive roles in The Prestige and Vicky Christina Barcelona, but it was the tail end of the 2010s when she was at her best. It could be argued that her best performance as Natasha Romanoff in the MCU came in Avengers: Endgame, which was released in 2019. Her other two roles from that year were even better, scoring
For Marriage Story, Johansson played Nicole Barber, a woman struggling as she and her husband (Adam Driver) go through a divorce. It's a heartbreaking story and Johansson delivers some of the finest work of her career, earning nominations across every major awards ceremony. Opposite that sad tale is Jojo Rabbit, a comedy about a young Hitler Youth member who learns that his mother, Rosie (Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl in their attic. While Johansson brings some laughs, she's also part of the film's emotional core, earning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination.
The 2020s have also seen Johansson shine in some smaller supporting roles. She was a standout in Wes Anderson's Asteroid City and The Phoenician Scheme, on top of lending her voice to quality animated projects like Transformers One and Sing 2. No matter what she does with the rest of her already legendary career, Under the Skin and Her will stand as some of Scarlett Johansson's best work.
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