The s*xy Black Widow suit gave Scarlett Johansson nightmares about having the perfect physique to carry it off.

Scarlett Johansson’s impressive filmography showcases a talent that goes beyond her stunning good looks and toned physique. While the star has been praised for the kind of roles she has chosen, there is no denying the fact that her s*x appeal has played a significant part in her massive popularity.

While these high expectations in Hollywood can naturally put pressure on any actor to maintain their appearance, Johansson faced it pretty intensely when she signed on to be Black Widow in the MCU. Getting into a form-fitting costume to play a swashbuckling superhero was a daunting task that saw the celebrity almost having a meltdown about getting into perfect shape for the role.

Scarlett Johansson Had Nightmares About Her MCU Role For This Reason

The charismatic Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow was brought to life perfectly by Scarlett Johansson in the MCU. With a lethal combination of stunning looks and an enviable body, the Asteroid City star immersed herself into the character and instantly became a fan-favorite through her various appearances in the franchise.

But becoming the character isn’t child’s play, and Johansson realized that right from the start when entered the process of transformation. First introduced in Iron Man 2, the Lucy star, although aware of the physical requirements of the role, was taken aback to see the s*xy form-fitting costume that she had to wear.

While Black Widow embodies athleticism, the intimidating expectations of getting into shape to ensure that she looked perfect in this extremely slinky and tight suit, was a very challenging proposition for the Marvel alum. Confessing her fears and her subsequent rigorous regimen for the role, she told the Sci-Fi Movie Page (via Slash Film),

I knew it was going to be some kind of s*xy unitard, because I had researched the character in the comics. I’ve never worn anything like it before, so I had a freak-out moment that lasted about half a day, but then I said ‘Okay, time to suck it up’ and just went full force into getting in shape to wear the costume and perform the physical action so it looked just right.

While Johansson achieved this excellently for the character, the pressure of adhering to a certain body type, or creating stereotypes about how a particular character should look like, may not work with today’s cancel culture trend. The fact that even a superhero like Black Widow was envisioned as a s*x symbol owing to the fact that she was a woman, could potentially have been a problematic arc for Marvel today.

Scarlett Johansson Was Wary Of The S*x Symbol Tag

While Scarlett Johansson was in the best shape of her life while playing the charismatic Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow in the MCU, the star revealed that being sensually appealing was the last thing she wanted, despite her looks playing a major role in her superstardom.

The Match Point actor though, did not feel that her looks and physical appearance were an advantage. Johansson spoke of the problems of being stereotyped for being a conventional beauty with a curvy body, and the roles she got because of it. In a candid chat with The Independent, she stated that.

I wanted to be a character actor. Those are the actors I mostly admire. I think women that are curvy can be pigeonholed in that bombshell thing. It’s not like I actively look for s*xy roles. It’s not a requirement that my character be pretty and delicate.

The Vicky Christina Barcelona star went on to confess that she wasn’t against doing a s*xy role if it was organically written into the script and the character, but had an issue if her looks dictated the kind of roles she was offered.