She was born on the 22nd of November, 1984, in New York City. Her father, of Danish extraction, was a building contractor in Manhattan, while her mother, Melanie, looked after kids Adrian, Vanessa, Scarlett and Hunter, Hunter being Scarlett's twin, younger than her by three minutes ("the most important three minutes of my life", she's said). As Hunter would grow to 6' 3", with dark eyes and hair, Scarlett would later comment that they were as much like real twins as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. There was also a half-brother, living with his mother in Denmark. Scarlett's name was, in a new family tradition, taken from Gone With The Wind, mother Melanie, of course, sharing the name of Scarlett O'Hara's friend and benefactor Melanie Hamilton.

She began her acting career in 1994 starring as "Laura Nelson" in North (1994). In 1998, the acclaimed film The Horse Whisperer (1998) brought Johansson critical praise and worldwide recognition. Following the film's success, she starred in many other films including the critically acclaimed cult film Ghost World (2001) and then the hit Lost in Translation (2003) with Bill Murray in which she again stunned critics. Later on, she appeared in Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003).

In 2003, she was nominated for two Golden Globes, one for drama (Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)) and one for comedy (Lost in Translation (2003)). She dropped out of Mission: Impossible III (2006) due to scheduling conflicts. Her next film role was in The Island (2005) alongside Ewan McGregor which earned weak reviews from U.S. critics.

After this, she appeared in Woody Allen's Match Point (2005) and was nominated again for a Golden Globe.

Often a young actress will deliver a performance so strong, so mature she is feted as the Next Big Thing. But the description is usually used more in hope than expectation. We all know that many years and many films can pass before she'll live up to her early promise, if indeed she ever does. Early 2004, though, saw the arrival of a young talent who seemed near fully-formed, despite being still in her teens. As said, many youngsters break through with one outstanding performance, yet here was Scarlett Johansson, double-nominated at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs for the parts she played in Lost In Translation and Girl With A Pearl Earring. A double-nominee - this showed a consistent level of excellence ordinarily only reached by the likes of Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore and Holly Hunter. And this was an 18-year-old. Surely, there could this time be no doubt that this was the Next Big Thing.