Actress Scarlett Johansson has earned two Academy Award nominations during her career, yet remains puzzled by the fact that Avengers: Endgame, where she portrayed Black Widow, garnered only one Oscar nod—for visual effects.
"How did this film not get nominated for an Oscar?" Johansson questioned the 2019 Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbuster in a recent interview with Vanity Fair. "It was an impossible movie that should not have worked, yet it really does as a film—and it’s also one of the most successful films of all time."
Despite being regarded as one of the finest entries in the MCU in recent years, the Academy has typically steered clear of honoring superhero (or genre) films with top accolades like acting or directing nominations. To date, the sole Marvel film to receive an Oscar nod is 2018’s Black Panther. Nevertheless, Johansson’s portrayal of Natasha Romanoff from her debut in 2010’s Iron Man through her demise in Endgame was undoubtedly deserving of recognition.
The actress also mentioned to Vanity Fair that she probably wouldn’t reprise the role again. "It would be very difficult for me to comprehend in what capacity returning would make sense for me, regarding the character I play," she stated.
"I miss my friends and genuinely wish to stay with them forever, but what makes the character compelling is that her story is complete. I don’t want to disrupt that. For fans, too—it’s crucial for them."
Following Black Widow's death in Endgame, Johansson reprised the role one last time in the prequel film Black Widow, released in 2021, which she also co-produced.
