Scarlett Johansson: Disney Lawsuit Shows It’s Important to Know Your Worth

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Scarlett Johansson: Disney Lawsuit Shows It’s Important to Know Your Worth

Scarlett Johannson and Disney’s very public lawsuit was settled earlier this year, and during a recent appearance at an American Cinematheque event, she commented on the case.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Johnasson had a fairly simple message when it came to the case, and it was just about knowing her own worth and making sure she stood up for herself.

“I think it’s important in general to know your own worth and stand up for yourself,” Johansson said. “In this industry, I’ve been working for such a long time, it’s been almost 30 years. There is so much that has shifted over those 30 years. Sometime before maybe you would feel, ‘Oh, gosh, if I stand up for myself I might never work again or I might be blacklisted in some way.’ Thankfully, that’s changing in the zeitgeist. And honestly, I think that happening in an industry as huge and universal as the entertainment industry is really important that I lead that charge.”

Johansson’s lawsuit with Disney stemmed from the company making Marvel Studios’ Black Widow film a day-and-date release in theaters and online via Disney+’s Premiere Access service. While Johansson’s representatives initially were asking for upwards of $100 million from the lawsuit, the settlement ended up paying the actress a reported $40 million.

Since the lawsuit has ended, Johansson has received support from those close to her in the industry, including longtime Marvel collaborator Joe Russo, who was happy to see the result. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has also recently hinted at a “top-secret Marvel Studios project” that he’s working on with Johansson, so the relationship between Disney and the actress seems to be just fine following the lawsuit and settlement.