Podcast 6 – intermediate – Interview Scarlett Johansson.

Hi there everyone, welcome to another podcast,

Today we will be listening to an interview done to Scarlett Johansson about her last movie (which i am sure you’ve heard of even if you are not a fan ) Avengers – End Game. It’s only three questions but there are some useful elements that you can incorporate.

So I want you to please pay attention to the following vocabulary and structures. Just pause the podcast right now and go and check the list of vocabulary that I put down below. You can find explanations and information in there.

Then, just press play again and listen to the interview.

So, here we go …..

Vocabulary and structures: 

-I didn't know if the fans and the audience would accept my interpretation: We use would because she is talking about her idea of the future but in a past situation.

I was not sure if my friends WOULD remember my birthday, but they prepared a surprise party for me .

-WHILE: While can be used to talk about simultaneous actions: While I watch tv, my wife reads a magazine.

But also to contrast situations:

While I understand that the situation is difficult, I think that the company should create a different plan.

MODAL VERBS:

Can: Possibility

Could: Possibility in the past / Hypothetical possibility in the future.

May/Might: Probability.

Have to: Obligation

To Peel: To remove the surface of an object to see what is inside (especially food – to peel a banana).

Depth: Noun of “deep”. Distance between the top and the bottom.

Compass: Element used to guide travelers which operates with earth magnetic forces pointing to the north/south.

To Be willing to: to have the disposition to do something.

I am not willing to come to the office on Sundays if my boss is not willing to pay extra-hours.

To Swallow: To let some substance (food, pills…) go down your throat without chewing.

Metaphorically: To swallow the truth / to swallow your own words.

Alongside: Next to.

To get stuck: When a person or an object is trapped in a situation or in a context from which it is not possible to escape.

To Dwell: To inhabit, to live.

Metaphorically: To dwell on the past / To dwell on your regrets.

To Haunt: To scare, to appear in the form of a ghost to torment.

Metaphorically: My past haunts me. My regrets haunt me.

Your character, Black Widow, has had enormous success, did you ever expect such a huge reception from the audience ?

When I did ironman 2 I didn't know if the fans and the audience would accept my interpretation, my casting of this character and so while I knew there were many different kind of dramatic directions that we could go and parts of the character that we could reveal or peel away or not, it was very you know, it was an introduction to this character, it’s like an idea and It wasn’t until avengers 2, or sorry the first avengers, that I got to work with Joss Whedon and really work on this characterization and develop the depth of this character’s backstory and what we wanted to be her truth

ok, I understand, and I would like to know, in your opinion, How is Natasha different from the rest of the characters of the movie? What makes her special?

I think Natasha is a little bit different than your kind of average hero or superhero in a sense because she has, I think she operates on a different kind, she has a different sort of moral compass than some of the other characters like say even cap I think she understands that there’s a balance between dark and light in the world and that you kind of have to, I think she understand the sacrifice you have to make on either end in order to have a kind of balance and that might not be a reality that some of the other characters are really willing to swallow but you know I don’t think she has to have that same mindset as say cap in order to work alongside him you know she just looks at the world in a different way but they can have a shared goal.

Ok, last question … Who is your favorite character?

I really love Natasha I think she is constantly evolving, she doesn't get stuck on things she is just continuously moving forward and I think you know she doesn't dwell on regrets or the past even though those things may haunt her ……

All right, all right guys that’s all for today, thank you so much for listening. And I will talk to you guys soon.

Be great!!.