ScarJo Takes a Jab at a Brit Accent in Intimate New Film

With a film resume as sparkly as a glitzy Hollywood premiere, Scarlett Johansson has impressed us in intimate dramas like "Marriage Story," won our hearts in smaller indies like "Lost In Translation," and dominated the box-office with blockbusters like "The Avengers" and "Jurassic World: Rebirth." To top it all, she also reigns as the highest-grossing actor of all time. They say it’s lonely at the top, but it seems Johansson isn't one for rest. Her latest venture? Mastering a British accent for her role in Kristin Scott Thomas' directorial debut, "My Mother's Wedding."

Scott Thomas, an actress whose contributions include stellar performances in "Mission: Impossible" and "The English Patient," did an exclusive sit-down on her maiden venture into directorship. The kernel of "My Mother's Wedding" is a deeply personal narrative, making the casting process uniquely challenging due to its semi-autobiographical color.

However, the lighting bulb moment came when she thought of Johansson for the role of Katherine-one of the pivotal siblings in the narrative. Scott Thomas took the leap and dialed up the superstar herself. While speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, she goes, “It took us quite a long time to find the right person to play Katherine and so with Scarlett, I just rang her up.” Alas, she had a very brief window, because she had other commitments including "Slow Horses," and Scarlett's free time was as scarce as hens’ teeth. The director highlights the urgency with a chuckle, “People send me scripts and then weeks go by and it’s still sitting there, looking at you reproachfully, saying, ‘Read me! Read me!’”

Just as her British accent was a challenge, so was convincing the "Lucy" lead to pick up a small indie script amidst a pile of lucrative Hollywood blockbusters. A heart-to-heart on the phone seemed to have intrigued Johansson, and she sank her teeth into the script, opting to tackle this diversely challenging character. Scott Thomas recalled the moment with a gleam in her eye: "I said to Scarlett, ‘Please can you read this really quickly and let me know yay or nay?’ And she rang me back the next day and said, ‘Yeah, I really want to do it.’ It fell into place, just like that. It was incredible."

"My Mother’s Wedding" isn’t Johansson’s usual big-budget production. The narrative entails three sisters who reunite in their hometown for their mother's third wedding, having been twice a widow. The sisters reconnect, having led disparate lives. Scott Thomas, who penned the script herself, aimed to draw a beautiful picture on motherhood, and the trauma-induced relationships among siblings. Johansson, a mother herself, could have found a unique connection with the script.

As an enthusiast myself, I'm dying to see Johansson navigate the British accent, with her co-stars Sienna Miller and Emily Beecham equally riveting on the screen. With an emotionally stimulating storyline and a stellar ensemble, "My Mother's Wedding" promises to be an uncut gem.

Film buffs can catch "My Mother's Wedding" in select theaters, with "Jurassic World: Rebirth," another Johansson treat, also doing rounds in cinemas nationwide. Stay glued to the space for more updates on the year's hottest film releases.