# Who would you have picked to play Black Widow? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 26, 2015, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647 "2015-02-26T06:44:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2015, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/21 "2015-02-27T15:37:16Z")
> [@Gerald\_II](#): > > I was looking forward to a film version of Black Widow that had at least a slight Russian accent. I think it would have added some slight nuance to her scenes with Captain America because it would remind the audience that at one time these two would be Cold War enemies. In the film continuity, didn’t Captain America sleep through the cold war? During World War II the Soviets were our allies. After Cap thawed out, they weren’t even Soviets anymore. Someone probably would have told him what he missed, but I don’t think it would be personally awkward for him to interact with a Russian. ETA: Ah, I see you said that it would remind the audience of the Cold War, although I’m not sure how true that is either. A large part of the audience for these films were in elementary school when the Soviet Union collapsed. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2015, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/22 "2015-02-27T17:26:15Z")
I am happy with Scarlett Johannsen, but I admit that I have not ready any of the source material before seeing the current crop of movies. I remember when comic books went from a nickle to a dime and then to twelve cents. I think this was in about 1963 or so, and I lost track of the genre back then. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2015, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/23 "2015-02-27T17:56:51Z")
> [@Gerald\_II](#): > > I was looking forward to a film version of Black Widow that had at least a slight Russian accent. I think it would have added some slight nuance to her scenes with Captain America because it would remind the audience that at one time these two would be Cold War enemies. I’ve heard that a lot… but don’t you think you’d be a pretty poor spy if you spoke a language with an identifiable foreign accent? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/24 "2015-02-27T18:26:31Z")
> [@Gerald\_II](#): > > I like Jenette Goldstein but I cannot see Vasquez as Black Widow. Black Widow has always been portrayed in the comics as very sexy and Goldstein’s character in Aliens is someone who’s made fun of because they think she’s looks and acts masculine. I wasn’t thinking of Vasquez except for the “soldier” aspects; I was thinking more of JG’s more feminine roles in \*Titanic \*and what might be the centerpoint for thought, _T2_. She typically played rather plain, slightly masculine characters (other than _Titanic_) but did pretty up very nicely, and had the action chops to hold the role. Alas, she is far too old now. But someone of that stripe would have been a gooder choice than SJ. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2015, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/25 "2015-02-27T22:03:12Z")
> [@Ibn\_Warraq](#): > > I’m a fan of Ms. Newton, but she doesn’t exactly look Russian, Pushkin jokes aside. I don’t think that the nationality (or ethnicity) of Black Widow makes one bit of difference to how well her character would be received and enjoyed by the audiences at Avenger movies. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that almost none of the background of any of the characters, especially minor characters like Black Widow and Hawkeye, matters at all to like 98% of the people who saw the movie. I stand by my recommendation of Thandie Newton; she’d have made terrific Black Widow. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2015, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/26 "2015-02-27T23:04:23Z")
Scarlett is fine, but no matter who plays the role of Black Widow, Black Canary, Batgirl or any other “superheroine” without supernatural powers, we have to suspend a LOT of disbelief to buy the idea of a girl whipping a bunch of male criminals. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/27 "2015-02-28T00:00:11Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Scarlett is fine, but no matter who plays the role of Black Widow, Black Canary, Batgirl or any other “superheroine” without supernatural powers, we have to suspend a LOT of disbelief to buy the idea of a girl whipping a bunch of male criminals. Black Canary has a superpower, her voice can knock people out. So she should be played by Celine Dion, obviously. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/28 "2015-02-28T04:35:26Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I have no criticism of the choice they went with. I’d have been happy if Johannssen had been playing the Wasp, with Hank Pym only a background character. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/29 "2015-02-28T04:37:28Z")
> [@Push\_You\_Down](#): > > I’ve heard that a lot… but don’t you think you’d be a pretty poor spy if you spoke a language with an identifiable foreign accent? I too doubt Natasha Romanov ever has any accent except that which she is affecting for a role. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/30 "2015-02-28T06:55:44Z")
Natalya Rudakova from Transporter 3. Freckles and all. [https://www.google.com/search?q=natalya+rudakova&tbm=isch&gws\_rd=ssl](https://www.google.com/search?q=natalya+rudakova&tbm=isch&gws_rd=ssl) ---
**Author:** ![Namkcalb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c89c15/32.png) [@Namkcalb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Namkcalb)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/31 "2015-02-28T07:11:35Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > In fact, I’d go so far as to say that almost none of the background of any of the characters, especially minor characters like Black Widow and Hawkeye, matters at all to like 98% of the people who saw the movie. I agree, there wasn’t much of an outcry when they got pale-as-snow Ryan Reynolds to play [Green Lantern](http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2014/02/GreenLantern_JohnStewart.jpg). > [@](#): > > I stand by my recommendation of Thandie Newton; she’d have made terrific Black Widow. Racist! Are you threatening her husband? ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 8:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/32 "2015-02-28T08:13:58Z")
> [@Namkcalb](#): > > I agree, there wasn’t much of an outcry when they got pale-as-snow Ryan Reynolds to play [Green Lantern](http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/stg.ign.com/2014/02/GreenLantern_JohnStewart.jpg). He wasn’t playing John Stewart, he was playing Hal Jordan, who’s always been portrayed as white. “Green Lantern” isn’t so much a character identity as a job description, there are thousands of them throughout the universe, including several from Earth. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2015, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/33 "2015-02-28T22:52:25Z")
> [@Steophan](#): > > He wasn’t playing John Stewart, he was playing Hal Jordan, who’s always been portrayed as white. “Green Lantern” isn’t so much a character identity as a job description, there are thousands of them throughout the universe, including several from Earth. It’s like complaining that Tony Stark is white because Rhodey was Iron Man for a while in the comics. Anyway, I think that the older daughter on that Allegiance show is pretty much a dead on fit for how Black Widow should have been portrayed, not exactly an A-list actress tho. But it sure would have been interesting to see her interact with Agent 13! ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/34 "2015-03-01T00:07:59Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > It’s like complaining that Tony Stark is white because Rhodey was Iron Man for a while in the comics. Well, not really. John’s been a GL for almost 50 years at this point, and has headlined multiple titles, as well as being the GL in the League several times. But Hal was there for close to 60 years, and has been the headliner/JL GL more often. (Gut Gardner is almost as old as, and has headlined about as often as, John. He is also white. Kyle Rayner is much more recent, and has headlined less. He was originally also white, but has been retconned into being a Jewish Latino.) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/35 "2015-03-02T15:57:11Z")
Yeah, but none of those guys is a living planet, a space hippo, or a sentient mathematical equation. Hollywood just refuses to show real diversity. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/36 "2015-03-02T16:10:31Z")
I really like Scarlett Johansen, but I admit, I am soooooo tired of seeing white people in almost every conceivable role. What about Zoe Saldana, I loved her. (As a matter of fact, I am really hoping the next Spiderman is black. Or Asian! But that will never happen until there is a black Spidey first. That would be so awesome.) ---
**Author:** ![Pazu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pazu/32/15522_2.png) [@Pazu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pazu)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/37 "2015-03-02T16:50:45Z")
I would have liked Stana Katic for the role. ---
**Author:** ![Steophan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steophan/32/9595_2.png) [@Steophan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steophan)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/38 "2015-03-02T17:01:13Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I really like Scarlett Johansen, but I admit, I am soooooo tired of seeing white people in almost every conceivable role. What about Zoe Saldana, I loved her. > > (As a matter of fact, I am really hoping the next Spiderman is black. Or Asian! But that will never happen until there is a black Spidey first. That would be so awesome.) [The rumour is](http://comicsalliance.com/spider-man-rumor-black-latino/) that the next Spider-man in the films will be. No idea how likely it actually is, but I’d prefer him actually, just because of the amount of terrible recent films with Peter Parker. ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/39 "2015-03-02T17:09:47Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > I really like Scarlett Johansen, but I admit, I am soooooo tired of seeing white people in almost every conceivable role. What about Zoe Saldana, I loved her. I like both as well but I’m starting to think that Saldana is getting a little overexposed in all the genre not Caucasian female roles. There has to be another actress out there, right? ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647/40 "2015-03-02T17:31:00Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > I like both as well but I’m starting to think that Saldana is getting a little overexposed in all the genre not Caucasian female roles. There has to be another actress out there, right? Sure! Name some more. I am game! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-would-you-have-picked-to-play-black-widow/713647.md?page=3)