Her private shell

Frankly, Scarlett's business is none of yours

By JANE STEVENSON -- Toronto Sun

The 'Scoop' on Scarlett

Scarlett Johansson's profile may be rising, but don't expect her to talk with the press about her personal life.

Ever.

It's not part of the package, says the 21-year-old New Yorker, who stars in Woody Allen's new London-set film, Scoop, opening Friday.

"I just like keeping my private life private ... it's nice to not have everybody know your business," she says. "Certainly in this society we live in today, people seem to want to focus more on things that are very superfluous and unimportant in their own lives, instead of actually focusing on what's really going on in the world. I mean, it's much easier to find out who's dating who than to get any real story on what's going on Iraq, in Africa, in Haiti, you know, all over the world."

For instance, there was a recent report that Johansson was dancing on a table top in the Hamptons.

Not true, the actress says.

"I've never danced on a table in my life," she says. "Stop reading gossip. I've never been a gossipy person and I've never been involved in other people's lives and I would rather them not involved in mine, if I don't know them. It's just the way I am. I just don't talk about any part of my private life. I avoid that at all costs. Any invasion of my privacy is absolutely an invasion."

But keeping her private life private could prove difficult with the release of her next film, The Black Dahlia, in which she stars opposite real-life boyfriend Josh Hartnett.

Not that she'll admit that it will be a challenge.

"I'm very excited about promoting Black Dahlia. I feel very confident about that film. Josh, Hilary (Swank) and Aaron (Eckhart) are all my co-stars and I would be happy to be with them on the red carpet."

She will, however, talk about the professional experience of working with Hartnett.

"It was great. Josh is a great actor. I've always admired his work and it's nice to work with your peers who you admire. I learn things about myself as an actor and about the process of film-making on every film I do. Whether I'm working with my peers or older actors, older directors, or young people who are starting out. I find it's always educational."

jam.canoe.ca