In the high-stakes world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the line between actor and superhero often blurs, but rarely as vividly as it did on the set of Black Widow (2021). While audiences spent a decade watching Natasha Romanoff perform impossible acrobatics, it was newcomer Florence Pugh who witnessed the “raw and painful” reality behind the curtain. Pugh later admitted she was “shocked” to see her co-star, Scarlett Johansson, throw herself into high-intensity training and endure real injuries, completely changing preconceived notions about female strength in action cinema.

A Lesson in Resilience and “The Muck”

During the filming of the visceral Budapest safehouse fight, Florence Pugh (who played Yelena Belova) watched with wide-eyed disbelief as Johansson chose to perform many of her own grueling stunts.¹ Despite being a seasoned A-list veteran, Johansson refused to rely entirely on special effects for the most “visceral” moments.²

Pugh recounted that by the time they were “throwing each other against kitchen counters” and “smashing faces into sinks,” the reality was far from a sterile movie set.³ The production took place during a punishing heatwave where the set felt like a “microwave oven.”⁴ Pugh witnessed Johansson covered in the “muck” of production—bruised and sweating—yet the veteran actress never called for a pause. For Pugh, who was making her Marvel debut, watching Johansson “shout” her strength through physical endurance was an inspiring masterclass.

The “Olympic” Training Regimen

Scarlett Johansson’s transformation into the Black Widow for her standalone film was the result of a “religious” dedication to fitness that lasted over a decade.⁵ Working with her personal trainer, Eric Johnson, Johansson treated her preparation like a world-class athlete preparing for the Olympics.⁶

The intensity of her regimen was “staggering”:

The Routine: Her sessions focused on a blend of Olympic weightlifting, gymnastics, and plyometrics to ensure her movement was “fluid and acrobatic.”⁷

The Goal: Johansson noted she was actually “stronger and more capable” during the filming of Black Widow than she was during her debut in Iron Man 2, over ten years prior.⁸

The Mindset: Her trainer emphasized “foundational strength,” performing exercises like 245-pound deadlifts and pistol squats to make the “skill acquisition” of stunts feel effortless.⁹

Notable Events: Passing the Widow’s Torch

The relationship between Johansson and Pugh was a “perfect chemistry” of mentorship and mutual respect, defined by a “raw transparency” about the physical toll of the job.

The “Widow” Connection
The Behind-the-Scenes Reality

The “Superhero Pose” Gag
The viral joke mocking Natasha’s “three-point landing” began when the stunt team told Pugh the pose would realistically break every bone in a person’s body.

The Jackson Advice
Johansson passed on a piece of wisdom from Samuel L. Jackson to Pugh: “Don’t kill yourself, kid.” She urged Pugh to focus on the “emotional grit” rather than trying to be a professional athlete.

The First Day “Icebreaker”
The very first scene they filmed together was their brutal fight in Budapest. “There was no greater way to break the ice than really wrestling Scarlett Johansson to the floor,” Pugh recalled.

A Legacy of “Pure Emotion”

For Scarlett Johansson, Black Widow was a final opportunity to “possess” the character she had built since 2010. She proved that female strength isn’t just about “looking cool” in a suit; it is about the “pure emotion” and grit of showing up even when you’re “covered in bruises.”

As Florence Pugh famously suggested, Johansson’s dedication “healed the heart” of the franchise by proving that the most powerful heroes are the ones who refuse to stop, even when the stunts—and the world—knock them down. She didn’t just play Natasha Romanoff; she conquered the “sanctuary of action” with absolute reverence for her craft.