Scarlett Johansson Says Work-Life Balance Is a ‘Myth’ Despite $43 Million Payday

Scarlett Johansson is opening up about the struggles of keeping her personal and professional life in sync, admitting that true balance may not exist even at the height of career success, as reported by Fox News.

In a recent interview with CBS Sunday Morning, the actress said she often feels a “deficit” somewhere in her life, acknowledging the constant trade-offs that come with fame and family.

“I think actually admitting that there is no work-life balance is the first step to kind of getting there in a way, because it’s not possible,” Johansson explained.

Scarlett Johansson Says It’s ‘Not Possible’ to Have ‘Work-Life Balance’: There Is Always ‘a Deficit in Some Area’ https://t.co/MfGLfHfmew

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“There’s always something that is… there’s a deficit in some area, and I think you have to be… I learned to be more kind to myself.”

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Despite being one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Johansson said she still struggles with feelings of never quite doing enough. “You can’t do all of these things all the time, and so, you know… there’s just like… is it good enough?” she added.

The Marvel star, who earned $43 million in 2025 according to Forbes, said she now accepts that perfection at home or at work isn’t realistic. Over time, she’s learned to prioritize self-kindness over chasing impossible balance.

“I think actually admitting that there is no work-life balance is the first step to getting there in a way because it’s just not possible,” Johansson repeated during the conversation.

Currently, Johansson is managing a full plate that includes her marriage to comedian Colin Jost, parenting their two children, running a skincare company, and continuing her acting career. She was named the highest-paid actress of 2025 by Forbes.

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When it comes to motherhood, Johansson said her idea of “success” has evolved. “Somebody once told me, ‘If you’re successful as a parent like 75% of the time, that’s good — if you’re doing 75% of it like right, then you’re winning, which is probably true,’” she shared.

Johansson and Jost have been married since October 2020 and welcomed their first son, Cosmo, in August 2021. The comedian and writer is best known for his work on Saturday Night Live.

Before her marriage to Jost, Johansson was married to actor Ryan Reynolds from 2008 to 2011 and to French journalist Romain Dauriac from 2014 to 2017. With Dauriac, she shares an 11-year-old daughter named Rose.

In earlier interviews, Johansson has spoken candidly about her humble beginnings. In a 2017 conversation with Entertainment Tonight, she revealed her family of six depended on welfare and food stamps while living in Manhattan.

“We were living on welfare, we were on food stamps,” Johansson said. “My parents were raising four kids in a low-income household in Manhattan. So, it was a lot.”

The Black Widow actress first broke out in the early 2000s, but fame came with its own complications. Speaking to People in April, she reflected on what it was like being a young woman in Hollywood during that era.

“I think growing up in the entertainment industry and being 20-something years old in the early 2000s, being a 20-year-old woman in the early 2000s in the spotlight, I think in general it was just a really harsh time,” she said.

She added that women in the industry faced intense scrutiny over appearances and limited opportunities. “I think women were just pulled apart for how they looked in a way that was socially acceptable at the time, and it was tough,” she explained.

“There was a lot placed on how women looked and what was offered at that time for women my age, as far as acting roles or opportunities, it was much slimmer than it is now.”

Through self-reflection and years in the spotlight, Johansson now focuses less on achieving perfect balance and more on finding peace with imperfection. Her message is clear: even success on paper doesn’t necessarily mean life feels complete behind the scenes.

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