Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson has made a startling revelation about the development of her feature film directing debut, Eleanor the Great. She claims a financial backer attempted to pressure her into removing all Holocaust references from the movie's plot.
Financier's Ultimatum Over Central Plot
In a candid interview with the Daily Telegraph, Johansson detailed the pre-production conflict. The film, which stars June Squibb as a retired Jewish widow who mistakenly joins a Holocaust survivors' group and perpetuates the lie, faced a major hurdle. One of the film's backers threatened to withdraw funding unless the Holocaust elements were excised.
"I mean, if they'd said, 'I'll only back this if you shoot in New Jersey', or 'We need to get this done by the spring', then that would have been one thing," Johansson stated. "But they were objecting to what the film actually was."
She explained the narrative's core, arguing, "[The film] had to be about what happens when someone gets caught in the worst lie imaginable; if not the Holocaust, then what could it be? They offered no alternative. It was just: 'This is an issue.'"
Standing Firm and a Last-Minute Rescue
Johansson refused to alter the script, a decision that led to the backer pulling out and leaving the project's budget uncovered. "It was really shocking, and I was so disappointed," she admitted.
However, the production was saved at the eleventh hour when Sony Pictures Classics stepped in as distributor, allowing filming to proceed. The incident highlights ongoing tensions in the film industry between artistic vision and commercial sensitivities.
Reiterated Support for Woody Allen and Disney Dispute
In the same wide-ranging interview, Johansson also revisited other contentious points in her career. She reiterated her support for director Woody Allen, for whom she starred in three films between 2005 and 2008. Allen has faced long-standing allegations of sexual assault by his daughter Dylan Farrow, which he denies and for which he has never been charged.
"My mom always encouraged me to be myself, [to see] that it's important to have integrity, and stand up for what you believe in," Johansson said, echoing comments from 2019 where she stated, "I love Woody. I believe him, and I would work with him any time."
Furthermore, Johansson commented on her high-profile legal battle with Disney over the dual release of Black Widow in cinemas and on Disney+ in 2021. The suit was settled for a rumoured $40m (£29.7m). She expressed a wish for more industry support during the dispute, noting the lack of clear guidelines as bonus structures shifted from theatrical to streaming models. "So to be able to impact that moves everything in the right direction. But yes, I would welcome more support," she concluded.
