Imagine finishing a long day of work, heading home to see your kids, and realizing there is a man following your car who genuinely believes—with every fiber of his being—that he is the father of your child. This isn't a plot from one of Scarlett Johansson’s Marvel movies. It's the reality she lived through with Michael Joseph Branham. Honestly, when we talk about a Scarlett Johansson stalker, people often think of aggressive paparazzi or weird fan mail. But this case? It went way beyond that. It hit a breaking point in April 2025 when a bomb threat was leveled against Saturday Night Live.
Celebrity obsession is weird. It’s a spectrum. On one end, you’ve got people buying posters. On the other, you have Michael Joseph Branham. He didn't just like her movies. He had her name tattooed over his heart. He posted on social media about how she supposedly bought him a car. He even claimed they were engaged. It’s a classic, terrifying case of erotomania—a delusional belief that a stranger, usually someone of higher status, is in love with you.
The Chilling Reality of the Scarlett Johansson Stalker
Safety is a luxury. For someone as famous as Johansson, it’s a luxury that costs millions and still doesn't always work. For over two years, Branham allegedly harassed the actress. He didn't just stay behind a keyboard. He showed up. He reportedly went to her California home in late 2023. Can you imagine the gut-punch of seeing a stranger on your property who thinks he’s part of your family?
Johansson tried to fight back using the legal system. She sought a restraining order in 2024. But here’s where the system feels broken: the request was originally dismissed on a technicality. Her legal team apparently couldn't "serve" him the papers. Basically, because they couldn't find him to hand him a piece of paper, the temporary protection she had just evaporated. It’s the kind of bureaucratic red tape that keeps victims awake at night.
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Why things escalated at 30 Rock
By early 2025, the situation took a dark turn toward Johansson’s husband, Colin Jost. Most of us know Jost as the guy on SNL who gets roasted by Michael Che every week. But for Branham, Jost wasn't just a comedian; he was an obstacle.
On April 2, 2025, the NYPD took Branham into custody. Why? Because he allegedly sent a text message to an administrator at a college he attended. The message was bone-chilling. It said: “The next time you hear from me I will be on CNN for exploding a bomb in Saturday Night Live audience.”
- The Target: NBC Universal’s studios at 30 Rockefeller Center.
- The Motivation: A personal obsession with Johansson.
- The Result: A massive security scare and felony charges.
He pleaded not guilty, of course. His public defender tried to argue that he might have been "scammed" by someone pretending to be Johansson online. They even suggested he could have been hacked. But the judge wasn't having it. With four outstanding warrants in Kentucky and a history of showing up at her house, the risk was too high. He was held on a $100,000 cash bail.
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The Paparazzi Connection: Are They Stalkers Too?
Johansson has a very specific take on this. She doesn't just see "stalking" as the actions of one lone, delusional man. She has famously called for paparazzi to be legally classified as criminal stalkers.
Back in 2019, she had a terrifying encounter after leaving a taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Five cars with blacked-out windows chased her. They ran red lights. They put pedestrians at risk. All for a photo. She had her daughter in the car.
She went to a police station for protection, but they told her there was nothing they could do because the paparazzi weren't technically breaking the law just by following her. She compared the situation to Princess Diana. It’s a fair point. If a normal person followed you to your hotel with four friends in different cars, they’d be arrested. If they have a camera? It’s "journalism."
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The Toll on Private Life
People think being a movie star is all private jets and glam. But the Scarlett Johansson stalker saga shows the underside. It changes how you live. You don't just "go for a walk." You check mirrors. You hire private security teams that look like small armies.
Even SNL itself became a weird space for her. In late 2024, during a Christmas episode, Jost and Che did their usual "joke exchange." They made some pretty vulgar jokes about Scarlett. She was backstage, and she later told InStyle she felt like she was going to faint. She called the jokes "old-school gross." When you’re already dealing with a real-life threat from a man who wants to bomb your husband’s workplace, those "jokes" probably hit a lot differently.
Actionable Steps for Personal Safety
Most of us aren't Marvel stars, but stalking is a real issue for thousands of people. If you or someone you know is dealing with a fixation that feels "off," here is the expert advice on how to handle it based on high-profile security protocols:
- Document Everything: Do not delete the weird texts. Do not throw away the "gifts." Keep a log of every sighting, time, and date. This is your evidence for a protective order.
- Vary Your Routine: Stalkers thrive on predictability. Change the way you drive to work. Go to a different grocery store. Don't post your location on social media in real-time.
- Cease All Communication: This is the hardest part. Any response—even a "leave me alone"—is seen as a "win" by the stalker. It’s fuel. Go completely dark.
- Involve the Pros: If you feel unsafe, go to the police immediately. Even if they can't make an arrest yet, getting the incident on record is vital for future legal action.
The Branham case serves as a massive wake-up call about how quickly online "fandom" can mutate into a physical threat of mass harm. It took a bomb threat for the legal system to finally provide the orders of protection that Johansson had been asking for months earlier. It’s a reminder that privacy isn't just a preference—it's a matter of survival.