Scarlett Johansson Gets Back into Action

Johansson, 24, isn’t hiding her past anxiety about having to squeeze into the sexy Black Widow costume of her character, Natasha Romanoff, in the film Iron Man 2.

To pull that off, the star took up an intensive workout routine.  Johansson told People magazine, "I kicked some major butt.  It was many, many, hours, days, and months of stunt training and strength training, but it’s fun because I had a goal. The goal was the Lycra catsuit." 

The He’s Just Not That Into You star also talked about what it felt like to see herself in the role. "It was crazy to see it for the first time – everything all zipped up and all the weapons in there, bracelets on, the whole look. It was pretty sweet, I have to say," she says.

The film’s director, Jon Favreau, also talked about Johansson’s outfit.  He explained, "She was wearing an unforgiving costume. She didn’t eat much, that’s for sure. She likes food, as do I, and she was definitely on a low-carb diet and training very hard. It was amazing." 

Favreau added, "I think people are going to be very impressed when they see her. It’s totally different than anything you’ve seen her do before." 

Iron Man 2, starring Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson, opens in theatres on May 7, 2010.