In the world of Hollywood blockbusters, we’re used to seeing Scarlett Johansson in skin-tight leather, kicking aliens across Manhattan or outsmarting Russian spies. But back in 2014, she did something that absolutely nobody expected. She went to Glasgow. She drove a van. And, for the first and only time in her massive career, she appeared fully on screen.
I’m talking about Jonathan Glazer's Under the Skin. Honestly, if you went into that movie expecting a typical sci-fi flick because you heard about Scarlett Johansson naked in a movie, you probably walked out feeling like you’d been hit by a truck. It wasn’t "sexy" in the way the tabloids wanted it to be. It was cold. It was clinical. It was, frankly, terrifying.
The Performance That Broke the Internet (and the Rules)
Most actors of Johansson’s stature have a "no-nudity" clause as thick as a phone book. She’d spent years being the world's most recognizable sex symbol while keeping her clothes on. So when news broke that she was going full frontal for an indie art-house film with a director who hadn't made a movie in nine years, the industry lost its mind.
The thing is, the nudity in Under the Skin isn't a "reveal." It’s a tool.
She plays an unnamed alien—later dubbed Laura in the credits—who takes on the "costume" of a beautiful woman to lure men into a black void where they literally dissolve. There’s a scene where she stands in front of a mirror, completely naked, just staring at herself. She isn't admiring her curves. She’s examining a suit. She’s looking at her skin the same way you’d look at a rental car you’re trying to figure out how to drive.
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It’s uncomfortable.
She’s not posing. She’s not pouting. She’s just there. Glazer used a lot of hidden cameras for this movie, meaning Johansson was actually driving around Scotland, picking up real guys who didn't know they were in a movie until later. Think about that. One of the most famous women on the planet was wandering through a shopping mall in a cheap wig and a fake fur coat, and almost nobody noticed.
Why the Nudity Mattered to the Story
You’ve gotta understand that this movie is about the "male gaze" being turned inside out. Usually, when a famous actress is undressed in a film, the camera treats her like a prize. Here, the camera treats her like a specimen.
- The Vulnerability Shift: By being naked, the character is at her most powerful—she’s the bait. But as she starts to feel "human" emotions, that same nudity becomes a source of extreme vulnerability and, eventually, her downfall.
- Deconstruction of Celebrity: We are so used to seeing Scarlett as a polished product. Seeing her in harsh, natural Scottish light, without the Marvel makeup and the CGI, makes the audience realize how much of her "beauty" is a construction we’ve all agreed to participate in.
- The Mirror Scene: This is the big one. It’s a long, silent take. It challenges the viewer: why are you looking? What are you looking for?
Johansson has said in interviews that she was "terrified" but felt it was necessary. She knew the screenshots would end up on every corner of the internet (and they did), but she argued that you couldn't capture the character's journey toward "self-discovery" without being totally free of herself. Basically, she had to shed her "movie star" skin to play the role.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the Film
If you look at the box office numbers, Under the Skin was kind of a flop. It cost about $13 million to make and barely cleared $7 million worldwide. But that’s the thing about "cult" movies. They don't need to win the weekend; they just need to stay in your brain for a decade.
People often assume the movie is just a weird horror flick. It’s not. It’s an exploration of empathy. There’s a scene involving a baby on a beach that is so distressing it makes the "sexy" parts of the movie feel irrelevant. When people search for Scarlett Johansson naked in a movie, they’re often looking for a thrill, but what they find is a deeply depressing meditation on what it means to be a person.
The movie actually turns the audience's desire against them. It says, "You want to see this woman? Fine. But you’re going to see her as a predator first, and then as a victim of the very beauty you’re obsessed with."
The Real-World Impact
It’s worth noting that this role changed how directors saw Johansson. It proved she wasn't just a "bombshell." Without this, we might not have gotten her Oscar-nominated turns in Marriage Story or Jojo Rabbit. She took a massive risk with her image at the height of her Avengers fame, and it paid off artistically, even if it didn't make a billion dollars.
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Also, let's talk about the technical side for a second. The "black room" scenes where the men sink into the floor? That wasn't some high-end CGI trickery. It was mostly practical effects—a shallow pool of black liquid and some very clever lighting. It looks more expensive than it was because the concept was so strong.
How to Appreciate the Artistry Today
If you’re planning to watch it, don't do it on your phone. This is a movie that lives or dies on its sound design and its atmosphere. Mica Levi’s score sounds like a beehive in a nightmare, and it’s brilliant.
Honestly, the best way to approach it is to forget everything you know about Scarlett Johansson. Ignore the Black Widow stuff. Ignore the red carpet photos. Just watch it as a story about a creature trying to understand why humans act the way they do.
Practical Next Steps for Film Fans:
- Watch the "Hidden Camera" Featurettes: Look for the behind-the-scenes footage of Glazer and Johansson in the van. Seeing how they tricked real people into these scenes adds a whole new layer of "creepy" to the experience.
- Read the Book: The original novel by Michel Faber is much more explicit about the "alien" stuff (like why they need the human meat). The movie is a lot more abstract, so the book helps fill in the gaps if you’re confused.
- Compare with "Her": Watch this back-to-back with Her (the movie where she's just a voice). It’s a fascinating contrast—one movie where she’s all body and no soul, and another where she’s all soul and no body.
The legacy of Scarlett Johansson naked in a movie isn't about a scandalous moment. It’s about an actress using her most famous asset—her body—to tell a story about how little the body actually matters. It’s one of the bravest things a modern movie star has ever done.