Scarlett Johansson

And that's where I started.

I had always danced, but I started singing there.

And they put me into almost every musical as the comedian.

And so when I went to New York, I went with a group of people from there.

And it was just like everybody assumed this is what I was going to do.

And this is what I ended up doing for about 20 years.

And then June offered me a large cash sum, which I still have not yet received.

Well, I firstly was—I had received the cover letter from June.

You know, I didn't know anything about the script, only that June Squibb wanted to take on a leading role.

And what could it be at this stage in her career?

I mean, June said she turns a lot down.

I'm sure she must because, you know, it's such a huge effort to commit to something like this for any actor.

And I was just very intrigued.

And it was clear to me—

Upon first reading it, okay, this is a character who suffers this devastating loss, and she is having this very challenging time navigating this.

this move back to Manhattan after 40 years of not living there.

And she's a 94-year-old woman who feels, you know, invisible in the current, you know, economy environment.

And, you know, then all of a sudden this plot twist, you know, which you described earlier, this lie that Eleanor tells, you know, in a moment of, I think, real deep loneliness and isolation.

an attempt to connect with a community and what grows out of that lie was so unexpected.

It just felt very surprising.