‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’: How Scarlett Johansson’s Pregnancy Affects Filming
Scarlett Johansson’s pregnancy isn’t delaying “Avengers: Age of Ultron.” Writer/director Joss Whedon said they’ll “make it work” with Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow stunt doubles.
The 29-year-old actress is currently expecting her first child with fiancé Romain Dauriac. But while Scarlett’s tummy is expanding, her character’s remains flat.
That’s not a problem, though. Joss said filming isn’t dangerous to the soon-to-be mother because they have stuntwomen doing the risky stuff.
“She’s very central to the movie and when we heard [about the pregnancy] we scheduled things around that. She’s not going to spend the whole movie carrying groceries. We didn’t trim any chances. We’re like: We’ll make this work,” he told Entertainment Weekly.
Scarlett’s stuntwomen, at least three in number, have dots on their faces to help Marvel digitally project Scarlett’s face on their bodies during post-production.
Chris Evans, who plays Captain America, added that his co-star has been great.
“It really hasn’t slowed us down at all. She’ll be running around, diving and jumping and doing these things and you’re like, ‘She seems like she’s got this.’”
“There’s the element of just God’s grace with Scarlett getting knocked up because that just civilised the whole thing right away,” Robert Downey Jr (Tony Stark/Iron Man) said.
“This is not going to be a massive grind. It’s not possible. We have to accommodate the latest news from headquarters, which is, ‘Oh my God, Scarlett Johansson is going to have a baby!’”
Scarlett seems to be in good hands with the cast, who are mostly all boys. According to Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk), the cast and crew are “very protective” of the Golden Globe Award-winning star.
“She’s pregnant, and she’s showing, and everyone loves and cares for her,” Ruffalo said.
Before the superhero flick hits cinemas in May 2015, Scarlett will be seen in the action film “Lucy.”
In the French-American film, Scarlett plays the title character, who works as a drug mule for a mob in Taiwan. When a drug implanted in her body leaks into her system, she’s able to use more than 10 per cent of her brain, making her superhuman.
“Lucy” also stars Morgan Freeman and Choi Min-sik.
It will be released in August.