Scarlett Johansson Is Protecting Her Kids From The Spotlight: "The Anonymity Of My Children Is Very Precious To Me"

Scarlett Johansson opened up about motherhood in a recent cover story for InStyle's March issue.

Johansson has always protected her children’s privacy and is committed to shielding them from the paparazzi. “The thing about being a public figure is that the idea of being recognizable and celebrated feels fun, but then you can never stuff it back in the bottle,” she explains. “The reality of it is, there’s a massive loss to that, you know? So I think preserving that for as long as possible until it’s someone's choice, that’s the choice I make as far as my kids go.”

Her daughter, Rose, 10, and son, Cosmo, 3, are growing up in an age where internet privacy is a major concern and personal information is often overexposed. Johansson resists the pull to share every moment online to ensure her children’s experiences remain theirs alone. “But if anyone knows me, I definitely over-share. I'm not a closed book, you know?” Johansson said. “I'm politically active and vocal about it. But I am a private person in the sense that I value my close friendships. My family is very precious to me, as is their privacy.”

"The anonymity of my children is very precious to me," she continued. Even when her daughter showed interest in making videos for her skincare company, The Outset, Johansson held her ground. “She was like, ‘Why can’t I?’ And I said, ‘Well, other than the fact that you’re 10…’”

It’s not easy for someone who naturally likes to have control over every detail, but she’s worked on letting go of certain things. “It’s understanding how to delegate. I’ve gotten better at that with more experience. I am kind of a control freak. I have a very active mind. People always describe how they’re ‘zoned out’ and I’m not sure what that means.”

Between her production company, These Pictures, her skincare brand, and her upcoming directorial debut, Eleanor the Great, she’s got a lot on her plate. 

Still, despite the packed schedule, Johansson’s family remains the core of her world. Her husband, Colin Jost, understands the demands of Hollywood, making their partnership one of mutual support. Even through the whirlwind of their careers, they always find time to laugh, sometimes at the internet’s expense. After Jost’s recent eyebrow-raising joke on SNL, Johansson found herself at the center of a viral moment. “It was so vulgar,” she said, laughing. “I just can’t believe that they went there.”

It's important to highlight that Johansson has also fought for fair pay, most notably in her legal battle with Disney over streaming rights, and has spoken out against the unauthorized use of AI-generated voices that eerily mimic her own.

The actress wants to set an example for her children. “I’m fortunate enough to have been working for such a long time, and not that long ago felt settled with where I am in my career,” she reflects. “Like every single actor working, I had this constant fear that everything would go away. Or that every movie would be my last. I am still the 8-year-old kid just waiting to get another part. But now I see that actually I built something that… that I have a place here. And because of that, I’ve been able to stand up for myself and not feel like I would disappear. I can shoulder it.”

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