Share

Can Scarlett get an Oscar nod without showing her face in new film?

New York - Can an actress get an Academy Award nomination, let alone win, for a role where only her voice is used?

After making it's debut in New York, the futuristic love story Her has got critics buzzing over the performance of Scarlett Johannson, who plays the voice of super advanced operating system Samantha. Without showing her face once, Huffington Post reports that critics cannot get over the fact that the actress has given a disembodied voice "tenderness" and "seduction".

The biggest challenge for the director, Spike Jonze, appears to be making it believable that a man would fall in love with a computer, or specifically, a computer's voice. For reviewer for HitFix, Drew McWeeny, the dismbodied actress pulled this off superbly.

"Removed from the undeniable sweater-girl appeal she packs when she's onscreen, forced to rely only on her voice, Johansson comes across as a warm, curious, vibrant personality. It's incredibly appealing, and it makes an impressive contrast to the largely non-verbal work she does in Jonathan Glazer's hypnotic Under The Skin."

But will this be enough for Academy voters to give a nomination for only a voice? Warner Bros and producer Megan Ellis have verified that they will be going all out to campaign for Johansson, citing on Ellis' Twitter page that she "deserves the recognition".

If it does happen, Her will make Oscar history and could perhaps pave the way for other non-conventional movie and TV roles.

Listen to Johansson's enigmatic voice in the trailer for Her:



We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE