Scarlett Johansson says monogamy isn't 'natural' but 'a lot of work'
"I might be skewered for that, but I think it’s work," she said.
— -- In a recent interview with Playboy magazine, actress Scarlett Johansson gets candid about relationships, saying they are "a lot of work."
In fact, she admits she'll probably get flack for it, but she believes the idea of marriage and monogamy isn't "natural." Reports surfaced earlier this year that the "Avengers" star and her husband, Romain Dauriac, had split, according to The Associated Press. It's not clear if this interview was conducted before those reports broke.
"With every gain there's a loss, right? So, that's the loss. You have to choose a path. I think the idea of marriage is very romantic; it’s a beautiful idea, and the practice of it can be a very beautiful thing. I don’t think it’s natural to be a monogamous person. I might be skewered for that, but I think it’s work. It’s a lot of work," she told the magazine.
The actress, who wed Dauriac in 2014 and has a daughter, Rose, with him, added that with so many other couples having to work at it as well, "that proves that it is not a natural thing."
"It’s something I have a lot of respect for and have participated in, but I think it definitely goes against some instinct to look beyond," she added.
Johansson, 32, was also married to actor Ryan Reynolds from 2008 to the early 2010's.
"I think marriage initially involves a lot of people who have nothing to do with your relationship, because it's a legally binding contract," she said. "Being married is different than not being married, and anybody who tells you that it’s the same is lying. It changes things. I have friends who were together for 10 years and then decided to get married, and I’ll ask them on their wedding day or right after if it’s different, and it always is. It is. It’s a beautiful responsibility, but it’s a responsibility."
She then touched on her most recent marriage and said things did feel different after they tied the knot.
"Our family dynamic was just different," she said. "Whatever that is, the thing you can't fully put words to, it changed. I had a baby, and also my husband was coming from another country and becoming a citizen of this country. It was a huge transition for both of us, and certainly for him -- moving here, committing to the States."
Earlier in the interview, Johansson also touched upon being married, raising a baby and more while continuing to act in all sorts of different locales.
"It's a struggle for a lot of people, because we exist in this weird nomadic industry ... it's hard on relationships; it's hard on your partner, your kids, family in general, friends," she said. "When I was doing 'Ghost in the Shell,' I was in New Zealand with our daughter for six months. ... It was so hard: The distance and the weight of the job itself were really hard on me," adding that the dark content of the role also made things tough.
This candid interview comes after the actress spoke to Entertainment Tonight at the beginning of the month, admitting that working and raising a little girl had her reeling a bit.
"I think you always feel a little bit of guilt. If you're at work, you feel like you're missing out on those special moments with your kid. If you're with your kid, you feel like you're not giving enough to your job. It's a balance," she said. "I have a lot of huge admiration for working moms. I'm barely, barely holding it together."