Scarlett Johansson praises Adam Driver ahead of 'Paper Tiger' Cannes premiere
Washington, May 16
Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver are reuniting on screen seven years after their acclaimed performances in 'Marriage Story', this time for the upcoming crime thriller 'Paper Tiger', directed by James Gray.
Johansson and Driver previously starred as Nicole and Charlie Barber in Noah Baumbach's 2019 divorce drama 'Marriage Story.'
In 'Paper Tiger', the duo play in-laws caught in a dangerous situation involving the Russian mafia in late-1980s New York.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in an interview, Johansson reflected on working with Driver again.
"I would've loved to have had even more scenework with him, I love working with him," Johansson said, as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.
The film stars Johansson as Hester Pearl, wife of Irwin Pearl, played by Miles Teller. Their seemingly stable family life is disrupted when Irwin's brother Gary, portrayed by Driver, arrives and brings danger to their doorstep.
Johansson also spoke about bonding with Teller during filming.
"He's so unexpectedly tender. I went away for a couple of weeks to do the press for Jurassic, I felt crazy to leave, but I had to go, and when I was gone, I'd get photographs of my makeup station from Miles and he'd be like, 'Where's Hester?' " she said, as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.
The reunion marks another collaboration between Johansson and Driver after 'Marriage Story', which followed a couple navigating custody battles and divorce. The Netflix film earned critical acclaim and won four awards at the Gotham Awards in 2019.
Ahead of the film's release at the time, Johansson had spoken candidly about the emotional intensity of working alongside Driver.
"We spent two entire days screaming at each other, brutally screaming and fighting for two full days," she told in a recent interview as per People magazine.
"It was exhausting, but if I didn't have as strong an actor as Adam to take all the stuff I was giving him I would have been lost," Johansson said, adding, "For me, working with other actors is a really important part of what I do... it's everything."
The pair's memorable argument scenes from 'Marriage Story' resurfaced in popular culture last year when the US Department of Agriculture reportedly used audio from the film to scare away gray wolves that were "terrorizing" livestock on an Oregon farm.
Reacting to the unusual incident during the New York City premiere of her directorial debut 'Eleanor the Great' in September, Johansson joked, "I'm glad we could be useful!" as quoted by People magazine.
She also reiterated her admiration for Driver.
"I love Adam as a person and he is an absolutely extraordinary actor," Johansson told People magazine, adding, "If I could make every movie with Adam Driver, I would."
'Paper Tiger' is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival today.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The USDA using their audio from 'Marriage Story' to scare wolves—what a quirky trivia bit! 😂 Johansson's reaction was perfect: "I'm glad we could be useful!" That's the kind of self-deprecating humour I admire. Glad to see Indian audiences are getting more international cinema exposure now.
Johansson praising Driver's acting prowess is well-deserved. Those two-day screaming matches for 'Marriage Story' sound exhausting but essential for the raw emotion they captured. Still, I wish Hollywood would focus on more original stories rather than another crime thriller about mobs. But the cast is undeniably strong.
James Gray making a crime thriller with this trio? Sign me up! The 1980s New York setting with Russian mafia sounds gripping. But I'm a bit concerned about how the in-law relationship will play—Hollywood often messes up family dynamics in thrillers. Hope it's not predictable like 'The Godfather' knockoffs we've seen.
The fact that Johansson said she would make every movie with Driver if she could shows their incredible chemistry. But let's be honest—Hollywood needs to break out of its nostalgia cycle. Why not a fresh story without the Russian mafia trope? Still, I'll watch it for Miles Teller, who's been underrated since 'Whiplash'.
As a fan of both actors, I'm excited! The in-law dynamic is something Indian cinema does well (think 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham'), so it'll be interesting to see Hollywood's take. But I hope
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.