Often a young actress will deliver a performance so strong, so mature she is feted as the Next Big Thing. But the description is usually used more in hope than expectation. We all know that many years and many films can pass before she'll live up to her early promise, if indeed she ever does. Early 2004, though, saw the arrival of a young talent who seemed near fully-formed, despite being still in her teens. As said, many youngsters break through with one outstanding performance, yet here was Scarlett Johansson, double-nominated at the Golden Globes and BAFTAs for the parts she played in Lost In Translation and Girl With A Pearl Earring. A double-nominee - this showed a consistent level of excellence ordinarily only reached by the likes of Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore and Holly Hunter. And this was an 18-year-old. Surely, there could this time be no doubt that this was the Next Big Thing
Actually, close observers had been saying this about Johansson for some considerable time. Way back in 1996 she'd been nominated for an Independent Spirit award for Manny And Lo, then received worldwide plaudits for her part in Robert Redford's The Horse Whisperer. Striking roles in gritty teen flick Ghost World and the Coen brothers' The Man Who Wasn't There pushed her claim still further. Given that kind of CV, her 2004 burst-out seems less sensational than overdue
