One of the highest-grossing box office stars of all time, Scarlett Johansson has garnered widespread acclaim for her work in indie and blockbuster films alike, from period dramas and dark comedies to psychological thrillers and action-adventures. She’s received numerous accolades over her extensive show business career, including a Tony Award, British Academy Film Award, two Oscar nods and five Golden Globes.
Johansson started acting as a child, making her professional debut at the age of 8 in an off-Broadway production of Sophistry alongside Ethan Hawke. She landed her first film role at 9, and attracted critical acclaim at 13 for her portrayal of an amputee in 1998’s The Horse Whisperer. Despite its tepid box office success, the actress received further praise for her supporting role as a cynical teen outcast in 2001’s Ghost World.
Shifting to adult roles in 2003, she became a breakout star for back-to-back performances in Lost in Translation and Girl with a Pearl Earring. Subsequent successes include Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Hitchcock, The Avengers, Her, Isle of Dogs JoJo Rabbit and Marriage Story.
In a reading list for O Magazine, Johansson revealed a “soft spot for tragic love stories and characters yearning to belong.” From Roald Dahl to Jeffrey Eugenides, explore her favorite books below. Complement with the bookshelves of Brie Larson, Emma Watson, Kate Winslet, and Julianne Moore.
Scarlett Johansson’s Reading List
Fantastic Mr. Fox by Roald Dahl
“I was in second or third grade when my sister read this to me. I remember that when she was finished, I insisted she start right over again…I attribute my love of drama to having heard her do all the characters’ voices.” -SJ
Summer Crossing by Truman Capote
“Two people desperately in love in that frenzied first-love kind of way. Maybe because Capote struggled with his own identity early on, he developed more perspective on growing up.” -SJ
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (also rec’d by John Waters)
“I loved learning about a culture that was unfamiliar to me…It’s really about finding yourself in a traditional world that doesn’t allow much room to grow.” -SJ
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (also rec’d by Axl Rose, Hozier, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kurt Cobain, Lenny Kravitz, Liz Phair, Philip Roth & Richey Edwards)
“There was a searching quality about [Holden Caulfield] that affected me. You know: someone who wants acceptance from his peers but also pushes them away.” -SJ
Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk
“One of my mother’s favorite books. It’s such a beautiful, tragic story. Marjorie is so full of gusto and romance.” -SJ
(via O Magazine)