Scarlett Johansson has revealed that recording songs for her latest film, Ray Gunn, left her feeling “embarrassed”.
The 41-year-old Jewish actress, who voices fictional pop superstar Venus Nova in the animated science-fiction film, described singing in front of music producers and cameras as the most difficult part of the role.
Speaking to the Press Association at the film’s premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on Saturday, Johansson said that although singing was something she enjoyed, recording professionally could be an intimidating experience.
“As far as the songs go, I find that part to be the most frustrating because it’s not my everyday job,” she said.
“I love to sing and I sing all the time, but doing it in the recording studio with music producers and the cameras – that part felt daunting.”
Johansson admitted that the pressure sometimes affected her confidence, but said persevering eventually helped her overcome her discomfort.
“I lose my nerve in those moments sometimes. But you just get through it and keep trying and eventually after you go through the process of feeling kind of embarrassed and resigned, all that melts away and you are able to do it.”
The actress, known for roles in Marriage Story and Marvel’s Black Widow, has previously demonstrated her singing abilities in the animated musical franchise Sing, in which she voices Ash, a punk-rock porcupine, in both films.
Her latest role sees her take on a rather different musical character. Venus Nova is a celebrated singer whose career is threatened by scandal, placing her at the centre of a murder mystery in a futuristic world.
Director Brad Bird praised Johansson’s performance, describing her as an exceptional actress with a talent that extends beyond acting.
“[She is] not only an amazing actress but she can really sing too, and she sings in this film too and that’s rare,” he told the Press Association.
Bird, who also wrote the film, said Johansson and her co-star Sam Rockwell were “magnificent actors who convince you they are feeling and doing something for the first time when they do it, and that’s a rare gift”.
Rockwell voices the film’s central character, Raymond Gunn, a down-at-heel private detective investigating a murder in the sprawling metropolis of Metropia.
The actor offered a more physical description of his own contribution to the production, saying his performance involved “a lot of grunting and screaming”.
Set in an alternative version of 1939, Ray Gunn combines the conventions of classic detective films with futuristic science fiction. Humans and aliens inhabit the same vast city, but aliens occupy the dominant position in its corrupt social order.
The investigation draws Gunn into a world of celebrity, intrigue and deception, with Venus Nova becoming an important figure in the case. The film’s official synopsis warns that “all is not what it seems”.
The project has been a long-standing ambition for Bird, the two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker behind Pixar favourites The Incredibles and Ratatouille, as well as The Iron Giant.
In an interview published by Netflix’s companion website Tudum in June, Bird described the concept as a combination of classic detective cinema and science fiction, comparing it to “The Maltese Falcon meets Buck Rogers”.
He has also spoken about wanting to challenge assumptions about animation, arguing that the medium should not be restricted to particular audiences or types of storytelling.
The film features an ensemble voice cast including Tom Waits, Matt Berry, Bobby Cannavale, Michelle Rodriguez, Alan Tudyk and Kathryn Hunter.
Its London premiere forms part of the 70th BFI London Film Festival, which runs from 7 to 18 October and showcases international films across a range of genres.
Ray Gunn is scheduled to receive a limited cinema release on 4 December before arriving on Netflix on 18 December.
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