Black Widow Star Gives Honest Reaction To Scarlett Johansson’s Case Against Disney

CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.

While the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a well-oiled machine, there’s still the occasional controversy. Perhaps the biggest in recent memory came when longtime Avenger Scarlett Johansson filed a lawsuit against Disney over the release of Black Widow. And now one co-star has offered their honest reactions to ScarJo’s case.

Director Cate Shortland brought together a great cast for Black Widow, including The Handmaid's Tale actor O-T Fagbenle as Natasha’s ally Rick Mason. Fagbenle was recently asked on a red carpet about Scarlett Johnasson’s legal battle against the studio, where he said:

Honestly, I’m not the most informed on this thing. I’d love to talk in some detail about it but I just don’t know. Ultimately I believe that all workers should be paid fairly. And to be honest, the workers I think about most are those who are on minimum wage wage. I think about those working in sweatshops to provide our clothes. That’s really my main concern when I think about unfair labor.

There you have it. While O-T Fagbenle was careful not to say anything out of turn, it seems that he’s got a unique perspective on the ScarJo fallout from Black Widow. Namely because he’s reminding us of the income inequity outside of Hollywood.

Rick Mason in Black Widow

O-T Fagbenle’s comments to The Associated Press come from a red carpet appearance at this year’s Emmy Awards. He was nominated for his role as Luke in The Handmaid’s Tale, but he also took questions about his recent MCU debut in Black Widow. Especially as the Scarlett Johansson situation continues to make headlines.

The MCU has found it streaming home on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

While O-T Fagbenle seemingly put his support behind his Black Widow co-star, the Looking alum took the time to use his platform to ask some important questions about being paid fairly. With so many folks out there struggling to support themselves, it certainly helps to put things in perspective.

Scarlett Johansson’s lawsuit against Disney seemingly comes as a result of Black Widow arriving on Disney+ at the same time as theaters. The blockbuster suffered from pirating, and had a steep drop at the box office following its opening weekend. And with Johansson’s contract seemingly including a take of the box office but not streaming earnings, she ultimately filed a case for money lost.

A number of Marvel actors have weighed in on the ScarJo situation, with Elizabeth Olsen and Benedict Cumberbatch both seemingly supporting her. The legendary Jamie Lee Curtis also recently dropped an F-bomb on the subject, so it’s clear that the public is invested.

The next installment in the MCU is Eternals on November 5th. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.