Scarlett Johansson recently opened up about introducing her 10-year-old daughter, Rose, to the complexities of dating, starting with the concept of ghosting.
In a candid conversation on the January 21 episode of Today with Jenna and Friends, the Oscar-nominated actress, known for her roles in The Avengers and Black Widow, shared her approach to teaching her daughter about dating etiquette, especially when it comes to how people treat one another in relationships.
Johansson, who is a mother of two, revealed that she felt it was the right time to have the conversation with Rose. The discussion came after her daughter stopped communicating with a boy who had feelings for her, but Rose did not feel the same way. According to Scarlett, Rose simply stopped talking to him, leaving the boy feeling hurt and confused.
In an effort to explain the emotional toll of such behavior, Johansson introduced her daughter to the concept of ghosting. “She just stopped talking to him straight up and he felt terrible. And I was telling her, I introduced the ghosting concept,” the actress recalled. She went on to explain that ghosting, where one person cuts off communication without any explanation, can deeply affect the other person’s self-esteem. “It really makes the other person feel terrible about themselves. It kind of sets them on this spiral,” Johansson explained.
The actress also shared her own perspective on ghosting, emphasizing that she would prefer to be confronted directly, whether in person or over the phone, rather than being ghosted. “It’s awful,” Johansson said, stressing that ghosting leaves the other person without any closure, which can be emotionally damaging.
Johansson’s discussion on the topic reflects her commitment to raising her children with kindness and empathy in their relationships. Rose, her eldest daughter, was born during Johansson’s marriage to French journalist Romain Dauriac. The 40-year-old actress is also the mother of a 3-year-old son, Cosmo, whom she shares with comedian Colin Jost. The couple, who married in 2020, have been raising their family together while managing their successful careers.