“Behind the Scenes of Controversy: Scarlett Johansson’s Shocking Scene That Drove Her Co-Star Off Set!”
It’s hard to believe that over a decade has passed since the release of Her, a film that swept up accolades and challenged our perceptions of love in the digital age. This sci-fi rom-com takes us on a mind-bending journey as we explore the unusual romance between a man and an artificially intelligent operating system, voiced by none other than Scarlett Johansson. But did you know that during filming, Johansson delivered a ‘bizarre’ orgasm scene that was so awkward it made her co-star, Joaquin Phoenix, leave the set in distress? As we celebrate the film’s legacy, let’s take a closer look at the unique dynamics of its production, Johansson’s thoughts on AI voice work, and the unforgettable moments that defined this cinematic gem. Curious to dive deeper into this fascinating behind-the-scenes tale? LEARN MORE.
Scooping up awards and considered to be one of the best films of the 2010s, it’s been over a decade since the release of Her.
The sci-fi rom-com flick followed a man who developed a relationship with an artificially intelligent assistant with a female voice.
And in the making of it, star Scarlett Johansson recorded a ‘bizarre’ orgasm scene that made her co-star so upset he left the set.
Her also stars Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Olivia Wilde, and Chris Pratt.
Johansson voiced the AI character, which led to her declining real-life offers to lend her voice to tech.
The star, who turns 40 today (22 November), didn’t want to be the voice of some kind of ChatGPT system, because she ‘felt it went against [her] core values’.
Of course, like it would work if she’d taken up those offers, Johansson recorded her ‘scenes’ in a studio rather than having to get in front of the cameras like Phoenix.
That created a slightly more unusual dynamic for a pair creating a romance for their characters, as they would never be on the film set acting together in the traditional sense.
The film came out in 2013. (Elisabetta A. Villa/WireImage)
So, it seems Phoenix would watch Johansson do the vocals instead. Only, that didn’t quite to go to plan when she had to record sounds of her having an orgasm.
Appearing on Dax Shephard’s Armchair Expert podcast, she explained he had already filmed his part of the scene and was there to watch hers.
“We tried to get through one take, and he was, like, losing it,” Johansson recalled.
“He was like angry… he had already [filmed the scene], he had done it in person, and now he was with me in this weird theatre and I’m in this box, and he was like staring at me, and the lights are low, and Spike [Jonze, the director] is there… it was so bizarre.”
The character falls in love with an AI assistant. (Warner Bros. Pictures)
While she was happy to record the sounds, she did say she needed ‘him to come back’.
“I was fine. Joaquin was not – he was so upset about it,” the Black Widow star continued.
“He left the studio, and now I’m in this box by myself, and I’m like, ‘I can’t do it alone. I need him to come back’.
“He needed a break; he took a break, and he came back in.
“You don’t want to hear your voice ever. You definitely don’t want to hear what you sound like having an orgasm. Ew. It’s so gross. It was so bizarre.”
And to be honest, fair enough, it sounds awkward af.
