Scarlett Johansson has been playing Natasha Romanoff in the Marvel Cinematic Universe since she made her debut as the character in 2010's Iron Man 2, but, as we know, she wasn't actually Marvel Studios' first choice for the role.
Emily Blunt (A Quiet Place, Edge of Tomorrow) was offered the part but was forced to decline because of a scheduling conflict, which is when Johansson got the call.
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During a new interview with Parade, the Academy Award-nominated Jojo Rabbit actress recalls her "wonderful" meeting with director John Favreau, and initially losing out on the role to Blunt.
“The best call you can receive is after you are rejected for something and then you get it,” Johansson said. “You appreciate it more. I’ve basically made a career out of being second choice.”
It may be difficult to imagine anyone else as Black Widow now, but Blunt was a strong fan-favorite choice for the role at the time, and there's still a lot of interest in seeing her join The MCU as another character. There are rumors that she has met with Kevin Feige about a future project, but we'll have to wait and see if that's on the level.
Would you have preferred to see Emily Blunt as Black Widow, or are you glad Scarlett Johansson ultimately nabbed the part? Let us know in the comments down below.
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Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.