Think Think Think Out Out Loud

On the big screen, Scarlett Johansson is ripping it up in the dark comedy Rough Night, but IRL, the outspoken actress is lending her star- and brain-power to the issues she’s most passionate about. Listen in as she talks to Cosmo about sensitive men, brutally honest friends, and the ultimate taboo.

- Anne Helen Petersen

We’re backstage at the Women in the World Summit in NYC, where she’s just spoken to Arianna Huffington about advocacy, female empowerment, and Ivanka Trump. In March, Scarlett impersonated the first daughter on Saturday Night Live in a sketch likening Ivanka’s public silence to a fictional designer perfume. “Complicit,” she whispers in the fake ad, “the fragrance for the woman who could stop all this…but won’t.” People were listening: The next day, Merriam-Webster reported complicit was the number one search on its site.

Since her appearance at the Women’s March in D.C. this past January, Scarlett, 32, has been surrounding herself with and speaking out for women. Her latest film, the raucous Rough Night, is not only directed and cowritten by a woman (Lucia Aniello) but also features Hollywood’s brightest rising female stars, including Kate McKinnon (SNL), Ilana Glazer (Broad City), Jillian Bell (Workaholics), and Zoë Kravitz (Big Little Lies).

The vibes on-set were awesome, says Scarlett—in part because ladies ran much of the show. “It used to be that you’d look out into the crew and it was a sea of men. Now, you see a lot of female grips, women in the camera department, set builders and teams. It’s great.” Read on for Scarlett’s big ideas about her future…and ours.

People are calling Rough Night the female version of The Hangover. Is that fair?

I liked that The Hangover was essentially a story about friendship. Of course, it was outrageous but it had a nice sentimental quality, so I don’t [think] it’s a bad thing.

Whose personality surprised you the most in the cast?