Scarlett Johansson has officially joined the ranks of the “Jurassic Park” franchise, a milestone she has eagerly anticipated for three decades. “It was a childhood dream of mine to be in this movie,” Johansson revealed during a recent interview with Craig Melvin on TODAY. “I’ve been trying to get in the ‘Jurassic’ universe for three decades.”
In the latest installment, “Jurassic World Rebirth,” Johansson takes on the role of Zora Bennett, a mercenary tasked with leading a team to retrieve dinosaur DNA from a remote, forbidden island. The island’s prehistoric inhabitants add a layer of danger and excitement to the mission. Johansson recalls her first encounter with the franchise, “I saw the movie ‘Jurassic Park’ when I was 10 years old in the theater, and it was so impactful. Like the entire audience, I was completely transfixed, mesmerized, carried away, terrified, all of that stuff, and it’s part of the formative part of my childhood.”
Joining the Jurassic Legacy
Johansson’s journey to joining the “Jurassic” franchise was not without persistence. “It turns out that if you harass Frank Marshall enough, you could get a job,” she joked, referencing one of the film’s producers. The film, spanning two hours and 14 minutes, also stars Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Mahershala Ali, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Ed Skrein, David Iacono, and Luna Blaise. The ensemble cast portrays a mismatched crew of castaways fighting for survival.
To capture the authenticity of the film’s setting, the cast and crew traveled to exotic locations like Malta and Thailand. “The environment was authentic and so it felt that we were in the middle of the jungle because we were in the middle of the jungle,” Johansson told TODAY.com.
Facing Fears and Challenges
Filming in such remote and wild locations came with its own set of challenges. Johansson recounted an incident involving a scorpion discovered near the coffee table on set. “You’d be making coffee at the coffee table and then two minutes later (someone would say), ‘You know what they just found at the coffee table? They just got a scorpion.’ And you’re like, ‘What!?’ Like, I was just making myself a coffee right there,” she shared. “We had a venomous pit crew. Isn’t that crazy?”
Beyond the jungle’s wildlife, Johansson had to conquer physical challenges, including scaling a steep rock wall constructed on set. Despite the safety measures in place, the experience was daunting. “The heights is not, like, my greatest phobia,” she explained. “My greatest phobia is cockroaches, and there were plenty of those, too – but not on the abseiling wall.”
The Allure and Trials of On-Location Filming
Johansson’s experience filming “Jurassic World Rebirth” was a mix of awe and adversity. Shooting in Thailand’s rainforests exposed the cast to a variety of “creature critters,” as Johansson described them. The actor, a self-proclaimed city girl from New York, admitted to longing for the comforts of a traditional film set. “Yes, all of the days. Every one of them,” she joked. “It is amazing to shoot in the majestic settings that we were in,” she acknowledged, though not without mentioning the drawbacks.
Weather conditions added another layer of complexity. “We did shoot during the monsoon season,” Johansson noted. “I would say not as ideal as in the not-monsoon season. I watched Mahershala Ali melt like a human candle.”
Looking Ahead
As “Jurassic World Rebirth” hits theaters, Johansson’s long-awaited dream of joining the franchise has come to fruition. Her experience on set, filled with both challenges and triumphs, underscores the dedication and resilience required in the world of filmmaking. As audiences prepare to be captivated by the latest chapter in the “Jurassic” saga, Johansson’s journey serves as a testament to the enduring allure of these prehistoric tales.
About The Author
