NEED TO KNOW
Scarlett Johansson is flaunting her ink.
On Monday, Sept. 8, the actress, 40, showed off her massive back tattoo at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) premiere of Eleanor the Great.
For her red carpet moment, Johansson wore a blush-colored custom Valentino gown with princess-like details. The dress featured a draped neckline and delicate off-the-shoulder sleeves, as well as a short train that added glamour to the look.
The back of the gown, which included a ribbon that flowed down to the ground, dipped low enough to reveal nearly all of the star’s large back tattoo, which depicts roses along a vine, as well as a baby lamb. She accessorized with sparkling drop earrings and wore her hair in a sleek updo.
Johansson was first spotted with the back ink in Aug. 2017 and it made its red carpet debut at the 2018 Met Gala. The star also has a smattering of other tattoos, including a matching one with her Avengers castmates.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty
Speaking with PEOPLE at TIFF on Sunday, Sept. 7, the actress opened up about casting real holocaust survivors in Eleanor the Great, which stars June Squibb and marks Johansson’s directorial debut.
In the film, Squibb plays the “witty and proudly troublesome 94-year-old Eleanor Morgenstein, who after a devastating loss, tells a tale that takes on a dangerous life of its own,” per an official synopsis.
“It wasn’t really ever a question of whether we would cast real survivors. It was more of how can we identify people that would want to participate, could participate,” Johansson explained at the PEOPLE/EW and Shutterstock studio at the TIFF. “So, we got really lucky. Every time we would find someone who could participate, it was like, ‘Yes, we got another survivor.’ “
Jemal Countess/WireImage
“I think at the time there was like 250,000 survivors living. Of course, every year it’s much less. So, we were able to identify [that] it’s a community,” Johansson continued, noting that Jessica Hecht, who stars in the film “was really helpful actually in helping identify a couple of people” for the movie, along with the Shoah Foundation in finding people who were interested. “I have to say that the whole group was so patient,” she added.
“I don’t think anybody in the group had really done a film like that before,” Johansson said. “…They really were just engaged and listening.” The newly-minted director also said that the survivors were eager to “share their stories,” adding jokingly, “They were pretty excited about catering.”
Eleanor the Great made its world premiere in May at the Cannes Film Festival, where it earned a five-minute standing ovation. The film, written by Tory Kamen, is in theaters Sept. 26.
