Scarlett Johansson Joins Jurassic World Rebirth: From Childhood Dream to Dinosaur Action
Actress Scarlett Johansson is officially living her childhood dream—and she’s doing it in full blockbuster style! The superstar sat down with Jimmy Fallon and opened up about her Jurassic World Rebirth debut, her fangirl roots, and what it was like to go head-to-head with dinosaurs (or at least, tennis balls pretending to be them).
🎬 From Fangirl to Dino-Warrior
Jimmy kicks things off by hyping up Jurassic World Rebirth, calling it “unbelievable.” Scarlett, clearly just as excited, agrees: “It’s scary, but it’s fun. It’s loud. It’s a movie-movie!”
Jimmy points out what fans have always suspected—Scarlett basically manifested her way into the Jurassic universe. She laughs, admitting she tried to “infiltrate” the franchise for three decades. “Turns out fangirling pays off,” she jokes.
She shares a sweet memory: as a kid, she had a Jurassic Park-themed pup tent and literally slept in it for a year—even though her sister wasn’t too thrilled. That childhood obsession is now a full-circle moment.
🎥 A Spielberg Dream Come True
Jimmy leans in to ask about her meeting with Steven Spielberg, calling it “one of the greatest moments” of her professional career.
At first, Scarlett played it cool. “I didn’t want to bring up Jurassic if he didn’t,” she says. Then, hours into the meeting, Spielberg casually mentioned it: “Oh, we’re supposed to be talking about Jurassic.” That was her chance. And she took it.
“I told him, ‘I will deliver this for you. I want this so badly,’” she says. Jimmy applauds her, calling her performance “phenomenal.”
👩🚀 Meet Zora Bennett – Her Toughest Role Yet
Scarlett introduces her new character, Zora Bennett—a military-trained special-ops soldier on a mission to retrieve dinosaur DNA. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she explains. But as you’d expect in any Jurassic movie, things go sideways fast.
Jimmy’s impressed and adds that the movie has it all: “It’s terrifying, fun, clever, and the visuals are next-level.” Scarlett agrees, praising the advancements in CGI and how the dinosaurs now feel more real than ever.
🎭 Acting Against Tennis Balls
One of the funniest moments comes when Jimmy asks what it’s like acting with dinosaurs that aren’t really there.
Scarlett bursts out laughing and says it’s all “tennis balls on sticks” and “orange Xs.” The terrifying raptors? Yep, just pieces of tape. She makes a mock scream—“Ahh! Tennis ball!”—and the audience loses it.
Jimmy jokes, “That’s why I didn’t get cast. Spielberg rolled a tennis ball to me and said, ‘Show me your fear face.’ I couldn’t do it.”
😂 Who Would Survive a Dinosaur Attack?
Jimmy launches a playful quiz: Which of Scarlett’s celebrity co-stars would survive in a real dinosaur showdown?
Here’s how it went:
- Chris Hemsworth vs. Chris Evans
Scarlett picks Hemsworth because “he’s Australian—and used to scary, venomous things.” Sorry, Cap! - Adam Driver vs. Bill Murray
Adam wins this one. “He’s a Marine,” Scarlett reminds everyone. “He’s got the training!” - Florence Pugh vs. Brie Larson
Brie takes it—Scarlett’s seen her push a tire up a hill. Meanwhile, Florence “makes a great bruschetta.” - Wes Anderson vs. Sofia Coppola
Scarlett laughs, “They’re not built for Dinoland.” Wes gets eaten. Sofia… maybe? - Michael Che vs. Colin Jost
It’s a win for Colin—“He’s from Staten Island. He’s a tough guy,” Scarlett says with a grin.
Jimmy plays along perfectly, throwing in jokes, drumrolls, and wild reactions as Scarlett makes her choices.
🌍 Filming Locations and Heat Survival
They also talk about the intense filming locations. The movie was shot in Thailand, Malta, and the UK, often in extreme weather.
“We filmed in the monsoon season in Thailand and the hottest month in Malta,” Scarlett shares. “I’ve never seen a person melt like Mahershala Ali did. He looked like an ice cream cone.”
Jimmy laughs and compares it to walking in New York City in summer. “Same thing,” he jokes.
🔥 Jurassic World Rebirth Hits Theaters July 2nd
Jimmy wraps up by praising the film: “It’s terrifying. It’s clever. It’s fun. It’s just… everything.”
Scarlett beams. “It’s truly a dream come true.”
Jurassic World Rebirth roars into theaters July 2nd, and if Scarlett’s enthusiasm is any sign, this one’s going to be a monster hit.
Watch the full show on You Tube.