Scarlett Johansson & Florence Pugh Battled Pneumonia During ‘Black Widow’ Shoot – A Behind-The-Scenes Look At Their Dedication
Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh powered through pneumonia while filming ‘Black Widow,’ delivering epic performances despite illness. Discover how they managed their health struggles while working on this Marvel film.
Wait, WHAT? Scarlett Johansson and Florence Pugh shot Black Widow while battling pneumonia. The iconic Black Widow movie didn’t just come with a hefty Marvel action budget and epic fight scenes — it came with a dash of illness, too. While fans were losing their minds over the movie’s delayed release, behind the scenes, Johansson and Pugh were pushing through not just superhero stunts but actual pneumonia. Talk about dedication.
According to The Gentlewoman, the film’s shoot, which stretched over four months across Norway, Morocco, the U.K., and the U.S., was one massive endurance test. And by the end of it, both leads were sick as dogs but still powering through. The movie’s director, Cate Shortland compared it to “being in the army.” Not exactly a vacation, huh?
But here’s the kicker: Scarlett kept the mood light despite pneumonia being the uninvited guest on set. “She’s completely unpretentious,” Shortland said. “She’ll be joking with the best boy or the runner; there’s no hierarchy.” Basically, Scarlett made sure the whole team felt like a squad, not just a bunch of movie-making minions. And honestly? That’s rare for someone of her status. There is no diva behavior here, just real, relatable vibes.
Meanwhile, Florence Pugh, Natasha’s successor in the Black Widow universe, was doing her thing in spite of the illness. She was practically a superhero in real life. And it wasn’t just the pneumonia battle that had the spotlight. Florence’s introduction as Yelena Belova had fans hyped for the next generation of the MCU. So, not only did she fight through physical sickness, but she also had to bring that edge to her role while managing the pressure of filling big boots.
But, back to Scarlett, because this is where things get juicy. Johansson isn’t one to shy away from controversy. From her Ghost in the Shell casting to supporting Woody Allen, she’s faced her share of public backlashes. “I’m going to have opinions about things because that’s just who I am,” she said. Own it, Scarlett. She even admitted that sometimes she’s missed the mark, saying, “It can be embarrassing.” But hey, she’s only human. “I’m also a person,” she added, making sure we knew she wasn’t here to be perfect, just honest.
If you thought actors had a duty to be public role models or political activists, think again. Scarlett’s thoughts on that? “You didn’t choose to be a politician; you’re an actor. Your job is to reflect our experience to ourselves,” she explained. Her role? To be the mirror. To bring us empathy, grit, and humanity. And in Black Widow, she delivered all that while battling pneumonia.
