In the days since the death of Robert Redford, a lot of people have taken the time to remember him. Fans have talked about their favorite films, and those who knew and worked with Redford have discussed what that experience was like. We even learned about an interesting connection between Redford and the Universal Studios theme park. Now Scarlett Johansson has talked about her time spent with the late actor, which may be unique among Hollywood stars.
Scarlett Johansson was directed by Redford and acted alongside him, but saw him in a way that few others did at the time. This is because she was all of 12 years old when they worked together. Johansson appeared in The Horse Whisperer and on a recent appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, she revealed that she even had a special nickname for her director, saying…
I was 12. We made a film called The Horse Whisperer, which Bob directed and starred in. I get to call him Bob. I actually had a nickname for him that was “Booey,” which is something that I don’t think I’ve ever told anybody, but now I’ve told everyone. I don’t know [why]. I was 12.
The nickname apparently had no origin beyond the silly mind of a 12-year-old, though I think I can see how a kid might get introduced to somebody named Bob and decide to start calling them Booey. It’s completely adorable.
It's easy to forget that Scarlett Johansson was a child actor. While she had a couple of significant roles at a young age, she wouldn't become a household name until later in her career.
Johansson talked about the conversations that Redford would have with her, talking through their scenes together and putting her at ease on the set. She clearly appreciated the time that he took with her. She also credits the experience of The Horse Whisperer for starting her interest in directing, a goal she has now achieved with the film, Eleanor the Great. Johansson continued…
I remember seeing him on the set. He would have those intimate conversations with me, then he would be coordinating a huge scene with our amazing first AD, Joe Reid,y and Bob Richardson, our DP. It was like ‘That job seems pretty interesting. I’d like to do that job someday.’
Scarlett Johansson would become a star five years after her role in The Horse Whisperer, thanks to her performance in Lost in Translation. Still, it seems clear that this particular film, and its incredible director, had a profound impact on her. Robert Redford clearly meant a lot to a lot of people, but I’m not sure anybody will remember “Booey” quite the way that ScarJo will.
