The style show must go on, and Scarlett Johansson made sure it did Wednesday night at the New York premiere of her latest, Ghost in the Shell.
She sparkled, literally, in an eye-catching Balmain gown featuring multicolored crystals and metallic stripes, a plunging neckline and a way-high Sєxy side slit.
Her dark blond short cut was slicked up like a 1950s-style pompadour.
The actress has been in the news lately for reasons not so cheerful: Her two-year marriage to her French ad executive husband, Romain Dauriac,is over and the two are battling in court for custody of their 2-year-old daughter, Rose.
Plus, Ghost has spurred a long-simmering controversy over “whitewashing” and the appropriation of Asian culture by non-Asians in Hollywood.
Questions were raised when Johansson was cast two years ago: Within two weeks of the news, more than 15,000 people signed an online peтιтion to replace her with an Asian actress.
Critics haven’t let up, to the point that social media buzz about Ghost seems focused more about who’s not starring in the movie than who is.
Johansson has been forced to defend herself and the film. “Diversity is important in Hollywood, and I would never want to feel like I was playing a character that was offensive,” she told Marie Claire.
Nevertheless, none of this appeared to be bothering Johansson on the Ghost red carpet.
