This Oscar season, those of us at Vulture are ready for every actor, director, and anyone else within spitting distance of a nomination to be asked to give their opinion on the matter of Scorsese v. Marvel (2019). At least Variety tapped two experts on the matter for its first “Actors on Actors†conversation: Marriage Story and Jojo Rabbit Oscar-chaser Scarlett Johansson, a.k.a. Black Widow, and Knives Out bad boy Chris Evans, a.k.a. Captain America. Johansson first brought up the controversy, which “seems kind of old-fashioned.†(Old-fashioned? Don’t tell Marty!) “Somebody had to explain it to me because it seemed so disappointing and sad in a way. They said, ‘I think what these people are saying is that at the actual theater, there’s not a lot of room for different kinds of movies, or smaller movies, because the theater is taken up by huge blockbusters,’†she told Evans. “It made me think about how people consume content now, and how there’s been this huge sea change with their viewing experience.â€
Evans replied, “I think original content inspires creative content. I think new stuff is what keeps the creative wheel rolling. I just believe there’s room at the table for all of it.†And for his part, Evans has gone outside the film industry for “new stuff,†starring in the short-lived 2018 Broadway revival of Kenneth Lonergan’s play Lobby Hero. “You’re so good,†Johansson told him of the performance. “It’s like you’re my only actor friend that actually came to see the play,†Evans responded. But it wasn’t a Marvel role, so can we blame them? [Wink.]