Scarlett Johansson shares honest take on work life balance

Scarlett Johansson opened up about the realities of juggling career, family and personal life

She believes the idea of a perfect balance doesn’t exist.

In a new interview with CBS Sunday Morning, the 41 year old actress admitted that despite her success including earning $43 million in 2025 and being named Forbes’ highest paid actress, she still feels there’s “always a deficit” somewhere.

“I think actually admitting that there is no work life balance is the first step to kind of getting there in a way, because it’s not possible,” Johansson explained.

“There’s always something that is … there’s a deficit in some area, and I think you have to be … I learned to be more kind to myself. You can’t do all of these things all the time.”

Johansson, who is married to comedian Colin Jost and raising two children, is also running her skincare brand while continuing to take on acting roles.

She said she’s learned to accept imperfection and measure success differently.

“If you’re successful as a parent like 75% of the time, that’s good … you’re winning,” she noted.

The Black Widow star previously reflected on her journey from humble beginnings, growing up in a Manhattan household on welfare, to international fame.

She also recalled the harsh scrutiny she faced as a young woman in Hollywood in the early 2000s, when opportunities for actresses her age were far slimmer than today.

Now, Johansson says she’s focused on being kinder to herself and embracing the reality that even with extraordinary success, “life is a constant deficit at home.”