Scarlett Johansson "Embarrassed" About Obama Emails, Talks Lesbian Kiss

NEW YORK — Scarlett Johansson can laugh about it now, but the actress says she was embarrassed by the media coverage of her so-called "e-mail relationship" with Barack Obama.

"It seemed to me to be like a product of extreme sexism, and I kept thinking to myself, 'God, if this was just, like, Kal Penn or George Clooney or any of the other (Obama) surrogates or supporters ... there wouldn't be (any) question about it. Nobody would even talk about it," she said.

Johansson, a vocal supporter of Obama, told the Web site Politico.com in June that she and the Democratic presidential hopeful had been trading e-mails. Obama later told reporters that Johansson doesn't have his personal e-mail address, and that his assistant forwarded one message from Johansson to which he replied.

"I was merely trying to express my delight at Obama's commitment to his campaign in every aspect and his interest and his support (in) his surrogates and his staff and his fellows, and how wonderful and refreshing that is. And it was manipulated into such an unfortunate media frenzy of kind of a nonstory," the 23-year-old actress said Tuesday in an interview from Los Angeles, where she was promoting her new Woody Allen film "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."

The romantic comedy set against the bohemian backdrop of Barcelona, Spain, has its share of buzz over Johansson's much-hyped kiss with Penelope Cruz.

"It's just silly because ... the way people are talking about it you'd think it was ... a Bertolucci movie or something," Johansson said, laughing. "People are saying, `It's Woody Allen's steamiest movie.' I'm thinking, 'Woody Allen's steamiest WHAT?'"

It was the actress' third time working with Allen, who directed her in "Match Point" and "Scoop." She and actor-beau Ryan Reynolds had been snapped by paparazzi on the set of the movie last summer; she confirmed the couple's engagement in early May.

Have they set a date?

"We're just enjoying our time," she said. "We're just recently _ very recently _ engaged. So, you know, we're just taking it easy. And no big plan yet. But it's a good time and we're just ... enjoying our time to be young and engaged.

"I mean, I'm 23. There's no reason to rush into it. Everything feels very natural and relaxed."

Comments

[sufi66]

Proof positive that most actors need a script to be interesting.

[Phidippides]

Oh. So, you're an actor.

[Puller58]

The child needs to find something better to do with her time than worry with politics. When will celebs learn that politics is something best left to politicians?

[MeanGreenMachine]

Damn that Ronald Reagan!

Always fussin' about politics.

[LoveOverGold]

You forgot Ahhhnold and Sonny Bono.

[provgrays]

She's not a child and it's the responsibility of everyone to take an interest in politics. By the way, Scarlett is just as American as you are. Being a celebrity does not disqualify her from having a political opinion.

Do you remember something called government by the people, of the people and for the people?

[morticia]

you mean she doesn`t have a mind? or an opinion? You are just not happy with her endorsement,
too bad.

[panchovilla]

Very cute. Non-celebrity endorsement:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZvvEG1tZ10

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

Woody! Are you robbing the cradle, again! You dirty old man!

[jsinclair]

Poor Scarlet Johanson. I think she means well, but talking about it just gets the media all excited again (like the Huffpo headline even, that Johanson is "embarrassed" by her emails with Obama).

Innuendo everywhere. I know she's only 23--and she's absolutely right about the sexism--but she would do everyone a favor (especially herself, especially the candidate) to stop talking about it. Completely.

[Irons]

I'm getting so confused!

[EarthToZoey]

Oh. My. Goodness.

Scarlett is my weak spot.

And a lesbian kiss?

I just might die happy.

;)

[BlueEyes08]

Rachel Maddow was right in describing our post factual media driven political campaign. The truth is no longer relevant, everything hinges on perception. The GOP offers post-doctoral degrees in Deception through Perception and McCain wants to become the dean of the GOP University. Lieberman is a key student recruiter and Rove is an emeritus professor. Scarlett is just one among many targeted by the anti-Obama propaganda machine.

[mergina]

BAH SAY LO NAH!

[nachlawi]

i hope kal penn is not getting snubbed. he doesn't deserve that!

[GooeyButter]

Huh? Kal Penn is awesome, and the fact that he's such a vocal Obama supporter makes him even cooler. Johansson's great too.

[RickRaff]

"O" must be the "Scarlett Letter?"

[devilyousay]

She's right, there is a double standard. She's young and attractive so everything gets turned into something sexual and that's wrong. And that my friends, is a liberal topic to discuss.

[1sanevoice]

you need some awareness of your writing's reception by others

why use the word liberal?

you are either careless or an idiot

[JTaverner]

"the way people are talking about it you'd think it was ... a Bertolucci movie or something"

Based off the trailer I've seen, it does have that "Stealing Beauty" vibe to it

[BigLib]

'God, if this was just, like, Kal Penn or George Clooney or any of the other (Obama) surrogates or supporters ... there wouldn't be (any) question about it. Nobody would even talk about it," she said.

I think the term she was looking for was "ObamaBorg Collective".

[mypov123]

Your attempts at humor are pathetic.

[Loculi]

You should really consider getting out of your parent's basement sometime, and stop watching so many Star Trek reruns.

[EarthToZoey]

Geek overload alert!

[StarkRavingNakedEmperor]

WE ARE OBAMABORG.

WE SEEK ONLY PERFECTION.

WE WILL ADD YOUR TECHNOLOGICAL AND BIOLOGICAL DISTINCTIVENESS TO OUR OWN.

YOU WILL BE ASSIMILATED

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE!

[adzeman]

While I am maniacal about my politics, there's always room for Scarlett.