US EditionRobert Redford influenced Scarlett Johansson’s directing debut, ‘Eleanor the Great’
Scarlett Johansson directs June Squibb in a film exploring aging, loneliness, and grief through a Holocaust survivor community, blending drama and comedy.
- Scarlett Johansson steps behind the camera for her first film, Eleanor the Great, which opens on Friday, Sept. 26.
- Recounting her experience on The Late Show, Johansson said, `I remember seeing him on the set. He would have those intimate conversations with me, and then he would be coordinating a huge scene`, which inspired her to direct.
- June Squibb stars as Eleanor Morgenstein, a feisty 94-year-old who moves from Florida to New York City after Bessie's death and becomes entangled in a Holocaust survivors group's deception, with Johansson shaping the story to blend drama and comedy around aging.
- Squibb praised Johansson's leadership, saying `She did beautifully`, while Johansson acknowledged feeling anxiety ahead of the Friday release during the 2025 Cannes Film Festival rollout.
- Johansson said the story connects to her Jewish heritage and family stories, highlighting love and loss, while Tony Kamen's script explores aging and grief through elderly characters and features actual Holocaust survivors.
32 Articles
32 Articles
Scarlett Johansson makes directorial debut with 'Eleanor the Great'
(CBS, KYMA) - Actress Scarlett Johansson is stepping behind the camera for the first time with her directorial debut, "Eleanor the Great." Academy Award nominee June Squibb stars in the film as a spirited 94-year-old who relocates from Florida to New York City after the devastating loss of her best friend. She ultimately wanders into a Holocaust survivor support group and finds herself in the middle of a lie that has very serious consequences. J…
Scarlett Johansson Rocks an Extreme Millennial Side Part With a Plunging Fall Outfit
Tis the season.Getty Images Scarlett Johansson attends 'The Phoenician Scheme' New York premiere on May 28, 2025.The GistScarlett Johansson paired her extreme Millennial side part with a plunging fall outfit.Her seasonal look comes just hours after she hit the streets of New York City in a little black dress.The multi-hyphenate has been out and about promoting her directorial debut, Eleanor the Great.It may only be the second day of fall, but it…
Scarlett Johansson Reveals the Sweet Way Robert Redford Inspired Her Career When He Directed Her as a Child
During a Sept. 22 appearance on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,' Scarlett Johansson recalled working with Robert Redford as a child on 1998's 'The Horse Whisperer.' She revealed that he inspired her to become a director, which she is doing nearly 30 years later with 'Eleanor the Great.'
The Record
Scarlett Johansson says directorial debut about disappearing Holocaust stories is her story, too
TORONTO - Scarlett Johansson says she’s not one to be nervous when films she stars in get released into the world. But debuting a deeply personal film as a first-time director is a whole other matter.
LA Daily News
Robert Redford influenced Scarlett Johansson’s directing debut, ‘Eleanor the Great’
The stars June Squibb as a feisty 94-year-old who returns to New York City after the death of her best friend, a Holocaust survivor.
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