Venice Film Festival Director Reveals Scarlett Johansson’s Emotional Reaction to ‘Under the Skin’ Reception

During the 2013 Venice International Film Festival, Scarlett Johansson was deeply moved by the audience’s response to her film “Under the Skin.” As the festival prepares for its latest edition, artistic director Alberto Barbera reminisced with The Guardian about past events. Barbera recounted how Johansson, who was 38 at the time, came close to crying when the film was booed by attendees ten years ago. He assured her that the film would eventually be recognized, and his prediction came true as “Under the Skin” became a cult favorite. Directed by Jonathan Glazer, the film featured Johansson as an alien trying to blend in with humans while preying on men in Glasgow. Some scenes were improvised using a hidden camera to capture Johansson interacting with unsuspecting civilians. Johansson later described the booing incident as a “very strange” moment during a 2014 interview with The Guardian.

Scarlett Johansson recently shared her experience of watching her film “Under the Skin” (2013) with an audience for the first time. She felt exposed since she was on a huge mezzanine, and it was the first time she saw the finished film. At the end of the screening, the audience’s reaction was mixed, with people cheering and booing at the same time with equal enthusiasm. Johansson was shocked by this response and didn’t know how to react, but her director, Jonathan Glazer, was thrilled and considered it the best reaction ever. According to Johansson, the engagement of the audience is what matters, and she prefers films that provide an experience that lingers in the mind.

During the 70th Venice International Film Festival at Sala Grande on September 3, 2013, Scarlett Johansson attended the premiere of “Under the Skin.” In an interview with the media, she discussed the experimental movie’s themes. She found it difficult to detach herself from the personal journey and analyze the film’s overarching theme, such as fear or love and sex. She stated that she was too immersed in the film, which left her paralyzed with fear. However, she did mention that perhaps after a few years, she could identify all the subjects and themes. Both Johansson and Jonathan, the director, were unable to describe the film’s plot when asked to do so.