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There are few actresses who perpetuate that mythical aura of the great icons of cinema. Scarlett Johan- sson has it. Everything she touches gives off a special light. We have seen her grow up on screen from her first roles as a child in Manny and Lo (1996) or as a teenager in Ghost World (2001), to her adult life. In fact, her husky voice is one

of the tools that allowed her to make a perfect transition, playing older roles from a very young age. It happened in Lost in Translation (2003) or Match Point (2005). So, without having turned 40, she has been at the top for more than 25 years with a resume that includes rarities like the extraterrestrial Under the Skin (2013), character dramas like Marriage Story (2019) or the fable Jojo Rabbit (2019), for which She obtained two Oscar nominations. In 2021, she was accused of being an old-school star when she sued Disney for having released Black Widow simultaneously in theaters and on its platform, which lim- ited the profits she took home at the box office. She was compared to Olivia de Havilland, who blew up the studio system in the 1940s when she denounced Warner’s abus- es of actors. In the case of Scarlett Johansson, the matter was settled with an agreement.

Scarlett Johansson changing roles after 30 years in front of the camera: In ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ she recovers the sparkling and glamorous spirit of the comedies of the 60s, mixed with the biggest ‘fake news’ in history. A ro- mantic drama about the Apollo XI mission that plays with the theory that man never reached the moon. She spoke to our editor Tricia about her already very long career and future as a director and producer.
TRICIA : The fake moon landing has been taboo for 45 years. Is it a daring move to make your debut
with your production company, by turning it into a roman- tic comedy?
SCARLETT : The film was born with my partners, when we were thinking what it would have been like to fake the moon landing, if it had been done. We asked Rose Gilroy, who has an incredible imagination, to write the script, and initially I wasn’t thinking of acting in it. But when I read it, I thought it was so well written and the dialogues were
so good, that I thought I couldn’t give it to anyone. 

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Afterwards they told me that they were looking forward to me saying that. The story links the birth of modern marketing with the space race, the Cold War and the Nixon administration. Tricia: Was it difficult to find the tone for such a mix? Scarlett :The tone was there on the pag- es, so all that was needed was to find a director who appreciated it. And that was Greg Berlanti. He fit like a charm because he’s funny, and understood well that patina of nostalgia that the story has. We relied on him to capture the spirit of that time also we were helped by the costume designer, Mary Zophres, who has worked a lot with Damien Cha- zelle, in La La Land, First Man & Baby- lon. Tricia : Part of the filming took place at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Ca- naveral, and NASA workers during the Apollo Program served as consultants. What does this add to the film? Scarlett : It was absolutely inspiring. You can’t imagine the size of those facili- ties, because it is the tallest vertical con- struction in the world. When we were filming, people were still working there, they were building rockets. It was a very surreal setting They gave us access to a lot of information so they understood that the film celebrates the achievement that was and praises the work of those who are considered one of the greatest heroes of humanity. Filming there al- lowed us to give the production that air of immensity.

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TRICIA : You developed the project from the beginning
as a producer. What did you like about Kelly, who was brought on board by NASA as a marketing genius? SCARLETT : Kelly is, after all, quite cynical and pessimistic at first. She would probably describe herself as a realist. (laughs) A sentence that I once said in a Woody Allen film comes to mind: “Pessimism is realism, just written differently.” (laughs) I liked that she goes through a development as a character, but still stays true to her- self. Everything she experiences in the course of the film allows her to gain a new perspective on her life and her work. But she is not the kind of unrealistic female character that we see far too often in the cinema. She is neither flawless and perfect from the start, nor does she undergo a complete transformation that is completely unrealistic.

TRICIA : Are you getting increasingly tired of acting? Or are you currently so enthusiastic about producing? SCARLETT : What I like most about being a producer after all these years in front of the camera is the efficient work. And the versatility of the job. As an actress, you spend a lot of time waiting on set - and really only have one task. On the other hand, as a producer, I always have something to do, and it involves very different aspects of film making. You look for ideas for stories, have to take care of the financing, think carefully about who and what is best

for each project, and coordinate the various people and companies. A film is like a huge puzzle that I have to put together as a producer. It’s really satisfying in a completely different way.

TRICIA : Your husband Colin Jost has a small role in “To the Moon”. How did that come about
SCARLETT : Funnily enough, that wasn’t my own idea. I think the director, Greg Berlanti, asked me at some point whether Colin might be interested in being in a scene. But I let the two of them sort it out between themselves. I was of course happy that he was up for it, because that way Colin was on set for a few weeks at a time, not just a few days at the weekend. And somehow you have to take advantage of that when you’re married to a comedian and actor. Although I should probably be glad that he didn’t turn out to be a real diva who immediately demands a leading role.

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SCARLETT : The thing about days off is that there are enough days when I’m not filming. But I also have two offices here in New York. One for my production compa- ny mentioned above and then one from my skin care line called “The Outset”. Of course there is always something to do. And finally I have two children, one of them is still quite small. So when I really have time off and don’t have to work at all, I like to spend the day in peace with them. And ideally with my husband, although he also works quite a lot. Going to the playground as a fami- ly and then having lunch, just doing something together and having fun, is the best form of free time for me. TRICIA : You have your offices in New York, but you also live in the city you grew up in for a long time. What does the city mean to you today? SCARLETT : I used to be very nos- talgic when I thought about the New York of my youth. I have now com- pletely changed my attitude and am happy about the constant change. The city always has something new to offer restaurants, people and buildings. The liveliness that comes with it is something you can’t really find anywhere else. And to this day, there is nothing more beautiful than when everyone in New York rush- es into Central Park and onto the streets in the sunshine. There is the smell of delicious food everywhere and you can hear music, there is something going on every corner. That’s when I especially love the city.  

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