At the height of the #MeToo movement—when Hollywood was rapidly reassessing power, accountability, and silence—Scarlett Johansson made a choice that stunned the industry. While many of her peers publicly distanced themselves from director Woody Allen, Johansson stepped forward with an unequivocal statement of personal loyalty, fully aware that doing so could carry serious professional consequences.
In a 2019 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Johansson addressed the controversy surrounding Allen—who has long faced allegations he denies—by explaining why she chose not to join the boycott. “I love Woody. I believe him, and I would work with him anytime,” she said, adding that she had spoken with him directly and believed in his account. The remarks landed like a thunderclap in an industry that, at the time, largely viewed public support as radioactive.
Johansson’s stance was especially striking because of her history within the movement itself. She was an early and vocal supporter of Time’s Up, and had previously criticized public figures she believed were acting hypocritically. Yet when it came to Allen, Johansson refused the safer route of silence. Instead, she framed her position as a matter of personal conviction rather than politics or optics.
Her defense was rooted in a long professional relationship. Allen had directed Johansson in three of her most acclaimed performances: Match Point, Scoop, and Vicky Cristina Barcelona. To Johansson, those years of collaboration—and her private conversations with Allen—formed the basis of her belief. She emphasized that her view did not negate broader conversations about accountability, but reflected her own experience.
The backlash was swift. As other actors publicly donated salaries from Allen projects or issued statements of regret, Johansson’s refusal to disavow him placed her in a shrinking minority that included figures like Diane Keaton and Javier Bardem. Critics accused her of undermining the movement; supporters argued she was demonstrating independence of thought at a moment defined by pressure to conform.
Years later, Johansson revisited the moment with more nuance. In a November 2025 interview with The Telegraph, while promoting her directorial debut Eleanor the Great, she acknowledged the cost of speaking out. “You never really know the domino effect,” she said, noting that integrity sometimes requires accepting consequences you can’t measure. She credited her mother with teaching her to stand by what she believes—even when it’s unpopular.
Johansson’s decision remains one of the most polarizing celebrity stands of the #MeToo era. Whether viewed as loyalty, misjudgment, or principled defiance, it underscored a reality few in Hollywood openly confront: at moments of cultural reckoning, choosing conviction over consensus can be the riskiest role of all.