Scarlett Johansson has finally landed her dream role in Jurassic World Rebirth, but it wasn’t by chance—it was years in the making. The Avengers star recently revealed that she spent over a decade actively campaigning for a role in the Jurassic Park franchise, constantly reminding her agents that she was available for any upcoming project. Her relentless pursuit, childhood obsession, and eventual meeting with Steven Spielberg all played a role in securing her a lead role in the highly anticipated summer blockbuster.
A Childhood Obsession Turned Lifelong Goal
For Johansson, the love for Jurassic Park started at a young age, and she took that passion well into her acting career. She recalled sleeping in a Jurassic Park pup tent for a full year when she was a child, a testament to how deeply the franchise resonated with her. As the years went by and new Jurassic films were announced, she made sure her enthusiasm was known.
“Anytime the trades would report a new ‘Jurassic’ movie, I would forward to my agents like, ‘Hey, I’m available,’” she admitted. Her commitment wasn’t just talk—she was actively trying to position herself for a role in one of cinema’s most beloved franchises. While she was thriving in action-packed films like Black Widow, Johansson never lost sight of her dinosaur-filled dreams.
Her persistence eventually paid off. When she was filming reshoots for Black Widow at Britain’s Pinewood Studios, she knew Jurassic World Dominion was being filmed nearby. The excitement got the best of her, and she practically begged her team to let her see the sets, feeling one step closer to the world she had long admired.
Meeting Spielberg: The Moment Everything Changed
Johansson’s journey to Jurassic stardom reached a turning point when she secured a meeting with none other than Steven Spielberg, the visionary behind the original Jurassic Park films. While the meeting was supposed to be a general discussion about potential projects, she had only one thing on her mind—the Jurassic franchise.
“I hadn’t really sat with him and talked about work, and we spent hours just catching up and chatting,” Johansson recalled. “Then at some point, many hours into it, he was like, ‘Wait, we’re supposed to talk about Jurassic. Do I hear you’re a huge superfan?’” She confirmed her longtime passion for the films, though she held back from telling Spielberg about her childhood tent obsession, fearing she might come across as too eager.
Looking back, she now regrets not sharing the full extent of her fandom. “It’s always wonderful to meet people who are profoundly moved by the world you’re a part of,” she said, reflecting on her own experiences meeting Avengers fans. “I probably should have just told him. But I was like, ‘Just be professional. Don’t seem desperate. Don’t mention the tent.’”
Landing the Role of a Lifetime in Jurassic World Rebirth
After years of campaigning, Johansson finally secured a lead role in Jurassic World Rebirth, where she will portray Zora Bennet, a former mercenary leading a team of scientists on a high-stakes mission to retrieve dinosaur blood that could be the key to curing heart disease. It’s a role she feels deeply grateful for, especially after spending a decade trying to be part of the franchise—even jokingly telling her agents that she would be fine with dying in the first five minutes just to be included.
Johansson’s dedication to the franchise proves that persistence and passion can pay off in Hollywood. She didn’t just wish for a role in Jurassic Park—she actively pursued it, made her interest known, and positioned herself in the right circles to make it happen. Now, as she prepares for the release of Jurassic World Rebirth on July 2, she can finally say that her childhood dream has come full circle.
For fans, Johansson’s journey into the world of dinosaurs adds another layer of excitement to the film. With co-stars like Jonathan Bailey and Mahershala Ali, Jurassic World Rebirth is set to be one of the biggest movies of the summer—and for Johansson, it’s the realization of a lifelong dream.