Scarlett Johansson is an amazing actress, model, and singer. In 2018, she was the highest-paid actress globally and was best known for her performances as Natasha Romanoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
A little-known fact about Scarlett is her Scandinavian heritage. Thanks to this, she can speak Danish, although not fluently. She can also speak the basics of French, Russian, and Swedish.
ScarJo’s Early Life
Scarlett Johansson was born on November 22, 1984, in Manhattan. Her father, Karsten Olaf Johansson, is an architect from Denmark, and her mother, Melanie Sloan, is a New York producer with Polish and Russian heritage.
She attended the PS 41 elementary school in Manhattan and was incredibly close to her maternal grandmother, Dorothy Sloan. Her parents divorced when she was only 13, and she started spending more and more time with Sloan.
During this time, Johansson gained an interest in a career in film and TV. Then, she decided to dance and started with musical theatre while also taking tap dancing classes.
She had her first appearance in the play Sophistry with Ethan Hawke. Her film debut came in the film North which was an instant hit and helped her get more fame.
Her History with Danish Language and Culture
Like most Americans with Scandinavian heritage, Scarlett only knows a few words in the language, such as Jeg Elsker Dig, which translates to I love you. She states that her parents didn’t teach her and her siblings Danish as they used it as a secret language while talking in front of the kids.
However, she knows that her heritage is from Denmark and Sweden, and she is deeply connected to her roots. Her grandfather, Ejner Johansson, was a big personality in Denmark. As for her great-grandfather, Axel Robert Johansson came from Sweden and had married a Danish girl.
Scarlett has been to Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Legoland with her father and half-brother. She describes her experience as being close to the culture and something she would love to do again.
While her cultural bonds with Scandinavia are strong, she isn’t fluent in the language.
Did Scarlett Learn Russian for Her Role as Agent Romanoff?
Actors in Hollywood often have to learn new skills and languages to perform new roles in films. Doing so beforehand can open many doors for them. However, this wasn’t the case with ScarJo.
She was the first cast as Natasha Romanoff in the sequel to the hit Iron Man movie and didn’t have enough screen time to explore her character. However, in the first Avengers movie, she can speak Russian while captured by a mobster.
The truth here is that Johansson did take the time to learn Russian for the film. While she was not fluent in it as she had only two days to prepare, she still gave it her best, which is why she fits perfectly in the Russian spy and superhero role.