Scarlett Johansson’s 'Eleanor the Great' Is Funny, Heartbreaking, and Deeply Jewish

Scarlett Johansson’s 'Eleanor the Great' is funny, heartbreaking, and deeply Jewish

Scarlett Johansson has accomplished a lot over the course of her career: She’s acted on screen since she was 9, became a Marvel superhero, earned a Tony Award for her work on Broadway, and is one of the rare talents to receive two Oscar nominations in the same year. Her films have collectively made her the highest-grossing lead actor at the global box office, Now, the Jewish star has added a new feat to her résumé: director. Johansson’s director…

Real-life Holocaust survivors star in Scarlett Johansson's directorial debut 'Eleanor the Great'

(JTA) - When Rita Zohar stepped into the role of Bessie Stern, a Holocaust survivor whose death sets in motion Scarlett Johansson's new film "Eleanor the Great," she wasn't simply acting. Zohar, 81, is a childhood survivor of the Holocaust. She was also drawing on her lived experience of loss and resilience to bring life to her character. "This role in this movie has...