Scarlett Johansson On Why She Doesn't Use Social Media

Scarlett Johansson has opened up about why she doesn't use social media - a rarity among celebrities in the modern age.

Most high profile celebrities will use platforms such as Instagram to stay connected with fans or promote their latest projects, from films to red carpet looks or even pregnancies.

Johansson claims there's a fairy simple reason for it though.

"I didn't grow up with social media", Johansson told LADbible, "I was already, you know, semi-formed when it began, so I think I just don't have the brain capacity for it. Keeping up with friends and family requires a lot of my mind.

"I've never had any social media, so I don't know if I'm missing it. But I can't imagine I am, maybe! I must be missing some fun stuff about it."

Johansson - who played Natasha Romanov on the Avengers films and currently stars in Universal Studios' Sing 2 - has so far managed to avoid the pull of social media.

Alamy

In a 2011 interview with Interview magazine, she said: "Personally, I don’t feel the need to brand myself in that way. But as a means to share information and raise awareness of things, I think these social-networking platforms are unprecedented. They’re amazing tools to communicate information - especially about different causes or crises or movements.

"That said, I don’t have a Facebook or a Twitter account, and I don’t know how I feel about this idea of, “Now, I’m eating dinner, and I want everyone to know that I’m having dinner at this time.” or “I just mailed a letter and dropped off my kids.” That, to me, is a very strange phenomenon.

"I can’t think of anything I’d rather do less than have to continuously share details of my everyday life. I’m always surprised that certain actors have Twitter accounts. I guess they use it in a way that works for them. But I’d rather that people had less access to my personal life. If I could keep it that way, I’d be a happy lady."

According to We Are Social, there are now 4.88 billion social media users worldwide, which equates to almost 62 percent of the world’s population.

Marvel Studios

The US ranks among the countries with the highest social network penetration rates, with an approximate 70 percent of the population having some sort of account, according to figures from Statista.

Johansson's choice to remain relatively unplugged may seem a little unusual - and perhaps even unimaginable - to those of us who fall asleep while scrolling through Twitter.

Most of her Sing 2 co-stars - such as Pharrell Williams, Halsey and Bono - have huge online followings. Her Black Widow co-star Florence Pugh also became a massive Instagram hit thanks to her Stories show, Comfort Cooking With Flo.

"I'm so late to the game though," Johansson LADbible, "I just found the stickers on my phone and I'm like sticking everything, I've got a great emoji game! But social media, it just seems very... complicated." 

Sing 2 will be released in cinemas across the UK from January 28 onwards.