While filming Black Widow, Scarlett Johansson gave Florence Pugh some valuable advice she herself had received from Samuel L. Jackson years before. Johansson has been a part of the MCU since almost the very beginning, having made her first appearance as Natasha Romanoff in 2010's Iron Man 2. Since then, she has become one of the franchise's biggest players and starred in a total of eight movies (end-credit scene cameos included). Next week's Black Widow marks her ninth and likely last MCU flick, and it's only fitting that she ends with a solo adventure of her own.

Black Widow picks up with Natasha in the aftermath of Captain America: Civil War, when she's on the run following the fight over the Sokovia Accords. With little left in the world, Natasha returns to her Russian roots, thus putting her back into contact with the spy family she once lived with. This is where Pugh's Yelena Belova comes in; as Natasha's pseudo-sister, Yelena shares an interesting bond with Black Widow, and it's one that seems to be reflected in the actresses' real life relationship.

Related: Black Widow Theory: Yelena Is The Next Dark Avengers Recruit

In an interview with THR, Johansson was asked if she imparted any advice on Pugh as she made her MCU debut with Black Widow. Johansson first said Pugh is so "self-possessed" that she never felt the younger actress needed any help. However, she was still able to share one big thing with Pugh, and it was actually something Johansson learned from fellow MCU star Jackson. She said:

"But I did say to Florence in the beginning that this is a long job. She was particularly frustrated with something she wasn’t landing or whatever, and this is such a long job that you have to preserve yourself physically. And selling things — the emotional grit behind it — is a much more valuable way to spend your time than actually trying to be a professional athlete. (Laughs.) The whole stunt department are incredible athletes, and you’re never going to reach their 16 years of professionalism, or whatever, in 4 weeks. And these shoots are long. They’re very, very taxing in different ways, and you have to preserve your energy where it’s most valuable. So that’s the one piece of advice that I wish I had gotten, which, eventually, Sam Jackson gave me and now I pass through myself to Florence. (Laughs.) 'Don’t kill yourself, kid!' Sam Jackson said to me; it was something like that. So I took his advice."

Black Widow clip Yelena teases Natasha over superhero pose

Marvel actors are used to getting into tip top shape in order to pull off the intense stunts required of their characters. However, Johansson's note (or, Jackson's note) that it's important for actors to take care of themselves is valuable. It does no one any good if they're mentally and physically exhausted midway through a long shoot, and they don't get much longer than those for Marvel. Hopefully Pugh took this to heart while filming Black Widow and can apply it to future MCU appearances.

And she will have more appearances. Pugh is already set to pop up on the Disney+ series Hawkeye, and all the early reviews for Black Widow pegged her as the inheritor of Johansson's legacy. Actors can stick around in the MCU for a very long time, as seen with Johansson herself, so Pugh might have to prepare for a lengthy run in the franchise. Somewhere down the line, she just might be the one advising the next generation of heroes. Black Widow is only the beginning.

More: Black Widow’s Complete MCU Timeline Explained

Source: THR

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