Scarlett Johansson has spoken candidly about the controversy surrounding her decision to play a transgender character – and her reaction to it.

‘I mishandled that situation’ said the 35-year-old of her since-abandoned role in the forthcoming movie Rub & Tug, during an interview with Vanity Fair for the cover of its December Issue.

‘To feel like you’re kind of tone-deaf to something is not a good feeling.’

Outrage: Scarlett Johansson has spoken candidly about the controversy surrounding her decision to play a transgender character – and her reaction to it

Johansson was set to play Dante ‘Tex’ Gill, a transgender gangster born Jean Marie Gill, as he ran a prostitution empire in Pittsburgh in the 1970s and 90s, in a film to be directed by Rupert Sanders (Snow White and the Huntsman).

The initial furor over a cisgendered actress playing a trans man was inflamed by Scarlett’s subsequent statement to criticism.

‘Tell [my critics] that they can be directed to Jeffrey Tambor, Jared Leto, and Felicity Huffman’s reps for comment,’ was the first response by Johansson’s reps in July last year.

But sustained outrage over the scandal saw the world’s highest-paid actress pull out of the film just one week later.

‘In hindsight, I mishandled that situation,’ admitted Scarlett in her new Vanity Fair interview.

Character: Johansson was set to play Dante ‘Tex’ Gill [pictured], a transgender gangster born Jean Marie Gill, as he ran a prostitution empire in Pittsburgh in the 1970s and 90s

‘I was not sensitive, my initial reaction to it,’ continued the two-time Golden Globe nominated actress.

‘I wasn’t totally aware of how the trans community felt about those three actors playing—and how they felt in general about cis actors playing—transgender people.’

Tambor, Leto and Huffman have all received criticism for their roles in Transparent, Dallas Buyer’s Club and Transamerica respectively.

Tambor in particular has drawn the ire of critics after he was alleged to have 𝑠e𝑥ually harassed his transgender assistant on the award-winning Amazon series.

Lightning rods: Jeffrey Tambor [pictured], Jared Leto and Felicity Huffman have all received criticism for their roles in Transparent, The Dallas Buyer’s Club and Transamerica respectively

Before the storm: Both Felicity Huffman [L, in Transamerica, 2005] and Jared Leto [R, in 2013’s Dallas Buyer’s Club] played trans characters to great acclaim

Continued Scarlett: ‘I wasn’t aware of that conversation—I was uneducated. So I learned a lot through that process.’

‘I misjudged that…. It was a hard time. It was like a whirlwind.’

‘I felt terribly about it,’ concluded the star of Ghost World.

Another scandal: In the same interview, Johansson reiterated her support of ‘friend’ Woody Allen, the director with whom she has worked on three different films. The collaborators seen together here in 2008

In the same interview, Johansson reiterated her support of ‘friend’ Woody Allen, the director with whom she has worked on three different films.

The Annie Hall filmmaker has been accused of 𝑠e𝑥ually assaulting Mia Farrow’s adopted daughter Dylan Farrow in the early 1990s.

However Scarlett distanced herself from the scandal, telling Vanity Fair: ‘I don’t know any more than any other person knows.’

‘I only have a close proximity with Woody…he’s a friend of mine. But I have no other insight other than my relationship with him.’

Strike one: Her first marriage was to Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds, to whom she was wed between 2008 and 2011. Seen together in 2010

Johansson is preparing to walk down the aisle for a third time, having recently become engaged to Saturday Night Live star Colin Jost.

Previously, the Avengers: Endgame star was married to French businessman Romain Dauriac, with whom she shares a five-year-old daughter, Rose Dorothy Dauriac.

Her first marriage was to Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds, to whom she was wed between 2008 and 2011.

The pair did not have any children.

Number two: Previously, the Avengers: Endgame star was married to French businessman Romain Dauriac, with whom she shares a five-year-old daughter, Rose Dorothy Dauriac. Seen together in 2015

Source:https://www.dailymail.co.uk