Most people think they know everything about the highest-paid actress in the world. They’ve seen her jump off buildings as Black Widow and break hearts in Marriage Story. But honestly, the most interesting thing about her might not be her filmography at all. It’s the fact that there’s a second version. Well, sorta. Scarlett Johansson and twin brother Hunter Johansson have been navigating the weirdness of fame together since they were born on November 22, 1984.
The "Black Widow" star isn't shy about him. She recently went on Live with Kelly and Mark and basically told the world he’s a "gem" but also just a "stinky dude." Classic sibling energy. While Scarlett was busy becoming a household name, Hunter was taking a completely different path. He didn’t want the Oscars. He wanted the Oval Office—or at least a way to help the people inside it.
The Twin Dynamic: It’s Not All Telepathy
You've probably heard the rumors about twin telepathy. People ask them about it constantly. Scarlett usually laughs it off. She admits they are super close because they were "in utero together," but she’s quick to point out that because they are fraternal, it’s not some spooky mind-reading situation. They are just two people who have never known a world without the other.
Growing up in Manhattan wasn't exactly a fairytale. The Johansson family lived on welfare and used food stamps for a while. Their parents, Karsten (a Danish architect) and Melanie (a producer), had a lot of strain on their marriage by the time the twins arrived. It was a loud, crowded, low-income household. Maybe that’s why they’re so grounded. When you’re riding the subway to public school and sharing everything, you don't really have room for a massive ego.
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Hunter Johansson: The Brother Who Chose Service Over Stardom
A lot of people assume Hunter is just "the brother who tags along to red carpets." That couldn't be further from the truth. While he did appear in the 1996 film Manny & Lo alongside his sister, his heart was never in acting.
Hunter is a policy nerd.
He worked as a community organizer for Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and even landed a spot on Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign. He didn't use the Johansson name to get a leg up, either. He went to the University of Vermont and later got a Master’s in Public Administration from NYU Wagner. He’s the guy who stays up late worrying about power grids, not box office returns.
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Solar Responders and Why He’s "Truly Altruistic"
If you want to know what Hunter is actually about, look at what happened after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico. The island’s power grid was basically deleted. First responders couldn't communicate. Fire stations were in the dark.
Hunter didn't just send a check. He founded Solar Responders.
It’s a non-profit that installs solar-plus-battery systems on fire stations so they never lose power during a disaster. Scarlett has called him the most altruistic person she knows. She doesn't just say that for the cameras; she actually went to Puerto Rico with him and her husband, Colin Jost, to help install panels. It’s a family affair, but Hunter is the CEO. He’s the one doing the heavy lifting in the non-profit world.
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The Life of a "Normal" Twin
It’s gotta be weird being the twin of a global icon. Hunter seems to handle it with a lot of grace. He’s often her "date" for big events like the White House Correspondents' Dinner or the American Cinematheque Awards, but he doesn't linger in the spotlight. He’s there to support his sister.
Funny enough, Scarlett recently let it slip that he’s currently single. She joked to Kelly Ripa that he's a "great guy" and basically put out a public casting call for a sister-in-law.
What We Can Learn From the Johansson Twins
There's something refreshing about their bond. In an industry where families usually tear each other apart over money or fame, they just... like each other. They represent a balance of two very different types of power: cultural influence and civic action.
- Service matters: Hunter proves that you can have all the access in the world and still choose to work for the public good.
- Fraternal isn't identical: They have different lives, different careers, and different goals, but the shared history of their New York upbringing keeps them tethered.
- Support systems are key: Even a Marvel superhero needs a "stinky dude" brother to remind her where she came from.
If you’re looking for a way to support the causes Hunter cares about, checking out the work of Solar Responders is a great place to start. They are still actively equipping stations in high-risk areas. As for Scarlett, she’s still doing her thing on screen, but it’s clear that when the cameras are off, she’s just one half of a very tight-knit duo that started in a small Manhattan apartment decades ago.