Scarlett Johansson, a Hollywood actress, has been objectified and sexualized throughout her career in movies and beyond.

She has been categorized with terms like “Sexiest Woman Alive” and objectified for having a “nice bottom.”

Despite her protests, people continued to sexualize her, especially when enabled by her male co-stars from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

In 2015, the cast of Avengers: Age of Ultron went on a press and promotional tour to generate excitement for the film’s release.

During this time, Scarlett Johansson was subjected to insensitive and sexist comments from her co-stars Jeremy Renner and Chris Evans, who play Hawkeye and Captain America in the MCU, respectively.

They joked about Black Widow’s inclination to seduce and charm and called her an “slt” and “a complete whre.”

These comments were made in jest, but they set a precedent for journalists, magazines, and tabloids to extend the discussion into dangerous territories that violated Johansson’s privacy and disrespected her entirely as a person.

However, outside the MCU, Robert Downey Jr. has come to Johansson’s rescue when she faced sexist comments during press tours or comic con panels.

Ironically, within the MCU, it was RDJ’s Iron Man 2 (2010) that launched Johansson’s character and established her as an objectifiable person when Tony Stak claimed “I want one” after seeing her for the first time.

Johansson’s discomfort with the sexualization of her character was evident during the promotion of the film.

When the interview aired, Johansson was not surprised by the insensitive remarks made by her co-stars.

In fact, it added to the never-ending list of frustrating and humiliating objectification she had suffered at the hands of Hollywood, her co-stars, the paparazzi, and the global audience.

After the interview, Evans and Renner issued formal apologies for their comments.

Evans said, “Yesterday we were asked about the rumors that Black Widow wanted to be in a relationship with both Hawkeye and Captain America. We answered in a very juvenile and offensive way that rightfully angered some fans. I regret it and sincerely apologize.”

Renner also issued a similar apology, saying,

“I am sorry that this tasteless joke about a fictional character offended anyone. It was not meant to be serious in any way. Just poking fun during an exhausting and tedious press tour.”

Johansson was not pleased with RDJ’s portrayal of her character and how it contributed to her sexualization within the MCU. In an interview with Playboy in 2019, Johansson expressed her disappointment with how the film industry views women.

She said, “It’s such a fickle and political industry that you have to have a certain amount of diplomacy and bite your tongue in certain situations. But also, you have to lay down the law and have a say when it matters. I’ve had moments of frustration with roles that I’ve been offered where I feel like it’s just, ‘Oh, sexy.’ It’s such a f***ing godsend that I have Black Widow because it’s not so one-dimensional. I don’t have to be a love interest or a one-dimensional badass.”

Johansson also talked about her character’s evolution over time, saying,

“The character started as a sort of sexy secretary with a skill set on Iron Man 2, then she evolved into a full-fledged, badass Avenger and now she’s a leader. The character has had an incredible journey and it’s been a pleasure to play.”

In 2020, Johansson filed a lawsuit against Disney, alleging that the company breached her contract by releasing Black Widow simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ streaming.

She claimed that her salary was tied to the film’s theatrical performance and that the simultaneous streaming release resulted in a loss of potential earnings.