Scarlett Johansson has been on movie sets since she was nine, which means that she knows exactly how they work. With her lifetime of knowledge as an actress and witnessing the vision of many talented directors, Johansson decided to make her directorial debut with Eleanor the Great. Her film’s lead, June Squibb, opened up about what it’s like to be directed by the former MCU star, and I’m loving her take.
You got the first glance of what a dynamic duo Scarlett Johansson and June Squibb were as presenters at this year’s Oscars, where they made fun of Bill Skarsgård’s movie disguises. But their bond didn’t end there, as the Black Widow actress’ first hand at directing will show in the drama Eleanor the Great, with June Squibb as her leading lady. The Nebraska actress shared her honest take with Vanity Fair on what it was like to be directed by the first-time director:
I was amazed at how open she was. There’s no playing around. There is absolutely no shit about her at all. Who she is is who you’re getting all the time.
Honesty truly is a very important quality in a director. Scarlett Johansson should know, as she’s learned from the best. According to the article, the Match Point actress has known she’s wanted to be a director since her Oscar-worthy performance in one of the best horse movies, The Horse Whisperer. Being directed by Robert Redford, Johansson had the opportunity to watch the talented man behind the camera act as a mentor with a commanding presence. It’s only natural that the highly-paid Hollywood actress would want to know what it’s like to step into those shoes herself.
Not only does June Squibb find Scarlett Johansson “open,” but also very confident. In fact, she credited the actress/director’s confidence for why her role behind the camera fit their movie:
I do think she likes herself—I think Scarlett enjoys being Scarlett. This is positive, because it allows her to say, ‘This is who I am, take it or leave it.’ I think that’s how she goes through life, basically.
You definitely need to be confident in every piece of art you create. You can tell that Scarlett Johansson put a lot of herself into Eleanor the Great. The movie takes place in Upper Manhattan where she grew up, with a detour to Coney Island where she’d spend time with her grandfather as a kid.
Scarlett Johansson’s Jewish roots also play a role in the film’s story about a retiree who, while grieving the death of her friend, joins a Holocaust survivors group and uses her friend’s story to belong. The team behind the Cannes-premiere movie even made sure to connect with USC Shoah Foundation to cast real-life Holocaust survivors to be in the support group. It appears the first-time director is making sure to give audiences an authentic story that honors personal experiences and history.
Based on June Squibb’s claims, Scarlett Johansson is ace as a director for being true to herself and her vision. As the Academy Award nominee has already proven to have a commanding screen presence as an actress, it’s nice to know she can carry out that quality working behind the scenes. Take a look at our 2025 movie releases in case Eleanor the Great shows up there.