Scarlett Johansson Misses Awards Event After Becoming ‘Violently Ill’

Scarlett Johansson has been everywhere during the 2020 awards season, but she had to skip an event during the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Friday night after she became “violently ill.” Johansson and her Marriage Story co-star Adam Driver were set to be honored with the 2020 Outstanding Performers of the Year Award at the Arlington Theatre, but Driver had to accept solo. Earlier this week, Johansson and Driver were both nominated for Oscars for the film.

“I have good news, and I have bad news,” SBIFF Executive Director Roger Durling said at the beginning of Friday night’s event, reports NoozHawk. “I’ll start with the bad news. Scarlett Johansson can’t be with us. I have a note from her.”

“I am so saddened that I can not be here with you this evening,” Johansson’s note read. “An hour and a half ago, I became violently ill right as I was about to leave the Miramar hotel (in Montecito) for the theater. I was so looking forward to accepting this incredible honor in person, and to not be here on stage with Adam is deeply disappointing, to say the least.”

Driver was still there to charm the crowd though, and received a standing ovation. “Acting to me is many things,” Driver said as he accepted the award. “It’s a craft. It’s a political act. Unfortunately, it’s a business, and it’s a service. I think acting is a service industry. I’m there in service of the director, the actors and the crew, and the story overall, which is more important. I very much believe in that. I believe in the potential effect of great collaboration.”

Driver continued, “I think movies, films and art lead people out of the dark. I think they can take a thought or articulate a feeling you think is private and singular to you, and connect it to a community you didn’t know exists.”

The Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker star explained that working on the film was special “because I got to make it with the people that I worked with, and with my friend Noah Baumbach, and it meant a lot to be there.”

In Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story, Driver and Johansson play a couple going through a bitter divorce. While Johansson’s Nicole wants to live in Los Angeles with her family and their son, Driver’s Charlie wants to live in New York where he works as a theater director. The film earned Oscar nominations for Best Picture, Best Actor (Driver), Best Actress (Johansson), Best Supporting Actress (Laura Dern), Best Original Screenplay (Baumbach) and Best Original Score (Randy Newman).

Johansson was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit.

“Working with Noah Baumbach and Taika Waititi, respectively, has given me such deep artistic satisfaction; Marriage Story and JoJo Rabbit are two great highlights of my career,” Johansson said in a statement to Buzzfeed after finally earning her first Oscar nominations. “I am deeply humbled by the Academy’s recognition of my work which would not have been possible without the support of the incredibly gifted actors and writer/directors that I’ve been so fortunate to collaborate with.”

The 92nd Academy Awards are scheduled for Feb. 9 and will air live on ABC. Marriage Story is available to stream on Netflix.

Photo credit: JEAN-BAPTISTE LACROIX/AFP via Getty Images