Why Scarlett Johansson Is the Cyborg Hollywood Deserves

A first image of Scarlett Johansson in the role of a cyborg named Major Motoko Kusanagi from the upcoming live-action film adaptation of "Ghost in the Shell." Credit: Paramount | DreamWorks Pictures Hollywood directors such as Steven Spielberg and the Wachoswski siblings have drawn inspiration from the science fiction vision of the 1995 anime film "Ghost in the Shell." But a live-action Hollywood remake of "Ghost in the Shell" has proven controversial because of the choice to cast Scarlett Johansson in the role of the story's main cyborg character known as Major Motoko Kusanagi. Let us not waste time on the common complaints about Johansson's casting: Hollywood's history of "whitewashing" Asian roles by casting white actors and actresses as Asian characters; the uphill battle that Asian American actors and actresses still face in getting meaningful roles in Hollywood films; the lack of consideration for how the original "Ghost in the Shell" story relies upon its Japanese cultural setting. I believe it's far more fascinating and relevant to consider whether Johansson has the acting skills and experience to portray a complex action heroine who must wrestle with existential questions about her identity as both human and machine. In the original 1995 "Ghost in the Shell" film, Motoko Kusanagi is a human whose original body has almost been completely replaced by mechanical parts. She is effectively a human brain controlling a powerful robotic body designed for combat. Her mechanical body parts can be repaired or replaced as needed, but not without cost. During the film, Kusanagi wonders what remains of her humanity as her body has become mostly machine. Even as she hunts a dangerous and mysterious hacker, she contemplates her own sense of growing isolation from the human society she has sworn to protect. The role demands an actress who can convey a commanding physical presence and power alongside moments of human vulnerability and sensitivity. Allow me to present a modest proposal: Johansson's acting career makes her supremely qualified to play a powerful cyborg struggling with an existential crisis in future Japan. In addition, Hollywood has plenty of movie magic to take care of concerns about her non-Asian appearance. We can rebuild her. We have the technology. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0j6wsGuzP2Q