Scarlett Johansson says she stands firm on one Hollywood policy even though it ‘offends a lot of people’

Despite decades in the spotlight, Scarlett Johansson has maintained a remarkably private life, steering clear of social media and keeping her personal world out of the public eye.

Johansson has mastered the balance between engaging with fans and guarding her privacy, thanks to her firm boundaries. In a recent interview with InStyle, the 40-year-old actress opened up about the price of fame, explaining that she couldn’t just do simple activities without being recognized because of her career. However, she has followed a rule that works for her but may displease others.

According to the actress, she doesn’t take photos with fans unless she’s at an appearance for work-related events, such as movie promotions and premieres. “It really offends a lot of people. It doesn’t mean I’m not appreciative, of course, that people are fans, or happy to see me. But I always say to people, ‘I’m not working,’” she explained. Furthermore, the actress refuses to join social media, even declining Universal Pictures’ request to promote Jurassic World: Rebirth on social platforms.

There’s been a lot of pressure to join social media, but Johansson wanted to stay true to herself, and putting her personal life out there for everyone to see just isn’t something she’s inclined to do. In a 2023 episode of The Skinny Confidential Him & Her podcast, she talked about her absence on social media and said that her ego is “too fragile” to deal with it. “I’m like a delicate flower. I have enough anxiety,” she explained. However, she does appear on TikTok videos to promote products from The Outset, her skincare brand.

She extends the same privacy to her two children — 10-year-old daughter Rose, from her marriage to ex-husband Romain Dauriac, and 3-year-old son Cosmo, whom she shares with her husband Colin Jost. “The anonymity of my children is very precious to me,” she shared. She recalled an instance when her daughter asked if she could make a video for The Outset, to which the actress refused, not only because of her age but also to keep her out of the spotlight. Protecting her children’s privacy is a priority, at least until they are old enough to make their own decisions.

Paparazzi often invade the privacy of celebrities’ children, capturing them during personal moments without consent. The intrusion is a disruption of their sense of normalcy, and many celebrities are advocating for stricter privacy laws when it comes to protecting their kids from the invasion of privacy, which is what Johansson wants to avoid.

But despite keeping certain aspects of her life private, Johansson said that those who are closest to her know that she isn’t tight-lipped. “If anyone knows me, I definitely over-share. I’m not a closed book, you know?” she told the magazine. Johansson said that she’s active in the political sphere and makes her opinions known, even assembling with the Avengers last year just before the elections to offer support for presidential candidate Kamala Harris.

With a sharp sense of boundaries and a clear focus on what matters, Johansson has managed to juggle Hollywood stardom and a private home life, showing that it’s possible to have a blockbuster career without putting every moment of her life out on display.