Scarlett Johansson Said Her “Ghost In The Shell” Role Was About Feminism, Not Race, And People Are Mad

1. Scarlett Johansson has again come under fire for her recent comments about her choice to play the lead character in the live-action adaption of the anime Ghost in the Shell.

2. The decision to cast a white woman as a beloved Japanese character immediately angered a lot of people, with many calling it yet another example of Hollywood’s whitewashing.

But while both the director and producer of the film have defended the casting decision, Johansson herself has remained relatively quiet about the controversy – until now.

3. In a conversation with Marie Claire published this week, Johansson says that she “certainly would never presume to play another race of a person,” and that “diversity is important in Hollywood.” She then pivots the conversation away from the topic of race to one of gender, explaining that “having a franchise with a female protagonist driving it is such a rare opportunity.”

7. And how it overlooks not only the importance of intersectionality in feminism…

10. But also the lack of representation for Asian and women of color in Hollywood.