Even A-list actors aren't immune to self-doubt. Scarlett Johansson recently opened up about her ongoing struggle with impostor syndrome, and her candid comments reveal just how universal these feelings really are.
In a recent interview with South Korean network tvN, the actress didn't hold back about her anxiety on set. “I am anxious about everything,” she admitted, before turning the question back on her interviewers: “Aren't you? There are so many things to be anxious about.”
The Reality Behind the Glamour
What's particularly striking about Johansson's comments is how they challenge the assumption that experience eliminates self-doubt. Despite her extensive Hollywood career, she still faces the same internal struggles that many of us do when starting something new.
“Every time I start a job, I don't know why I get anxious. Like I don't know,” she explained. This sentiment resonates far beyond the entertainment industry – it's the voice of anyone who's ever questioned whether they belonged in their role.
The Jurassic World Rebirth Experience
Her recent experience filming Jurassic World Rebirth illustrates this perfectly. “For the first two weeks of the movie, I had like an existential crisis. I didn't know if I was the right person for the job. I didn't know if what I was doing was consistent.”
In the film, Johansson plays Zora Bennett, a mercenary on a secret mission to find dinosaur DNA alongside Dr. Henry Loomis and Duncan Kincaid. The unfamiliarity with her character seems to be at the heart of her anxiety.
“I think part of it is that you don't really know the character yet. And that's where the anxiety comes from,” she noted.
The Light at the End of the Tunnel
What offers hope in Johansson's account is her recognition that these feelings typically fade as work progresses. “And then you know, as you re-shooting, like that kind of melts away. Because you know more, kind of what you are doing.”
This insight speaks to something many professionals experience – that initial discomfort with uncertainty often gives way to confidence as familiarity grows.
Why This Matters
Johansson's openness about impostor syndrome does more than just humanize a celebrity. It validates the experiences of countless people who question their qualifications, worry about their performance, or wonder if they're “the right person for the job.”
Her willingness to discuss these feelings publicly helps normalize conversations about professional anxiety and self-doubt – topics that are often kept private despite their prevalence.
In a world where social media often presents only polished success stories, hearing someone at the top of their field admit to existential crises on the job feels refreshingly honest and surprisingly comforting.
