Black Widow Star Comments On Scarlett Johansson Lawsuit

Black Widow star O-T Fagbenle comments on Scarlett Johansson's lawsuit against Disney. The English actor played Rick Mason, a friend and ally of Natasha Romanoff's from her SHIELD days, in the MCU film. Black Widow was released simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access on July 9.

Though Disney had previously made other films available on its streaming service during the pandemic, the release of the Marvel Studios film that had been delayed more than a year has been its biggest headache. Day-and-date streaming releases have so far been shown to eat into the profits of larger blockbusters, and as is common for Hollywood stars, Johansson's contract included significant bonuses tied to Black Widow's box office performance. The American actor filed suit against Disney in July, claiming that the company had violated her contract by not giving the movie a period of theatrical exclusivity, and the tense PR campaign that followed has turned the legal battle into a major industry talking point.

Fagbenle, as Johansson's Black Widow co-star, was asked for his thoughts on her lawsuit by AP, and he began his answer by saying he was not the most informed person on the issue. Ultimately, though, he believes that workers should be paid fairly for their labor, which would position him on the side of his fellow actor. He does point out, however, that the people he focuses on most are not megastars:

I mean, honestly, I'm not the most informed on this thing, so I would love to talk with somebody to learn about it, I just don't know. Ultimately, I do believe that all workers should get paid fairly. And, to be honest, the workers I think about most are those who are on minimum wage, I think about those who are in, you know, working in the sweat shops that provide our clothes. That's really my main concern when I think about unfair labor.

Black Widow standing during the confrontation with Dreykov in his office in Black Widow

Johansson's lawsuit has made significant waves in the industry, bringing the discussion of actor's backends in the streaming era to the fore. It was reported that Emma Stone and Emily Blunt, who also had their respective films Cruella and Jungle Cruise go to Premier Access, were considering filing lawsuits of their own. While those never materialized, CEO Bob Chapek has since announced that Disney is changing their contract policies to better reflect the transition to streaming, and compensate talent accordingly.

While Fagbenle does seem to come down on Johansson's side, he is right to contextualize this dispute as occurring at the very top of the food chain, with the most pressing labor issues being those affecting the most vulnerable. However, this does not take away from the importance of this legal dispute to the industry - Disney did not take the customary steps to buy out their stars' contracts in the way that, for example, Warner Bros. did for films going to HBO Max. Should the court decide in Johansson's favor, Black Widow could be remembered as the film that set the tone for blockbuster contracts in the streaming era.

Next: Every Way Scarlet Johansson's Black Widow Lawsuit Has Impacted Disney & MCU

Source: AP