Scarlett Johansson has often fought against being typecast as the icon of female beauty purely for the male gaze. Her journey as Natasha Romanoff has been living proof of just how much she has fought within Hollywood about who she is as a person and the kind of clothes she is comfortable in. From Iron Man 2 to Black Widow, she has evidently shown how she is more than just the woman put in a movie for male attention.

Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow

Natasha Romanoff is an icon and Johansson glorified that even more. Her journey was beautified because of the love that Johansson emitted throughout the franchise. The Marvel Cinematic Universe saw her character in various movies all slowly showcasing character development. This intrigued the fans more so about her past. However, this humanistic approach to her character was something that evolved with time.

Scarlett Johansson Was Told To Wear Tennis Clothes

Scarlett Johansson revealed that Captain America: The Winter Soldier had one scene that made her double down almost immediately. The idea had to be scrapped very quickly because of how bizarre it was for her and every other woman who would be watching the movie. Out of all the movies in the MCU, Chris Evans’ sequel still stands as a fan favorite.

Scarlett Johansson in Winter Soldier as the Black Widow

“In some says I look at it as a costume she was wearing — at the time, Marvel was interested in the character being a shape-shifter,” she added.“When we were doing Captain America: The Winter Soldier — this is a really funny thing — the look is fantastic and utilitarian. She first drives up in this beautiful car and picks up Cap, and initially in the script, it was like, she arrives in her tennis whites, with a blonde wig. It was very quickly killed.”
She revealed that during her introductory sequence in the movie where she offers Steve Rogers a ride, she is supposed to be in tennis attire being overly s*xualised. The idea was immediately binned because of how inappropriate it was.

Scarlett Johansson Had Patience For The Process

Scarlett Johansson understood that she is part of a changing world where slowly the process of how women are portrayed in cinema is being changed. She went from being the optimal girl for the male gaze to a strong figure who could stand up for herself without having to wear skimpy clothes.

Scarlett Johansson in Black Widow (2021)

“You work with a lot of male writers,” Johansson added.“Things were shifting. You have to be a part of the change. Audiences are also demanding stuff and there’s a cultural shift and it feeds everything into a more progressive direction. It’s been a process, it’s been a process.”
One of the most prominent changes throughout the franchise for the actress has been the clothes her character wears. They went from being overtly s*xual to simply signifying herself and her personality.

Source: Fatherly