Scarlett Johansson brilliantly called out James Franco during her Women's March speech

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Scarlett Johansson brilliantly called out James Franco during her Women's March speech
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 20: Mila Kunis supports Scarlett Johansson as she speaks during the Women's March Los Angeles 2018 on January 20, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Chelsea Guglielmino/Getty Images) Credit: Getty Images

As one of the many women who began Time's Up, the initiative advocating for women in all industries financially and otherwise, Scarlett Johansson was invited to speak at Los Angeles' Women's March—and she used her moment on stage to call out a number of issues, and one person in particular.

“How could a person publicly stand by an organization that helps to provide support for victims of sexual assault while privately preying on people who have no power?" Johansson asked before delivering the punchline to a not-so subtle dig.

“I want my pin back, by the way," she declared.

People began speculating who she was specifically talking about, and the Los Angeles Times confirmed with Johansson's representatives that yes, she was referring to James Franco.

Franco faced major backlash following a Golden Globes appearance in which he wore a pin from Time's Up, later prompting five women to speak out about inappropriate behavior they had witnessed from the seasoned actor over the years. Additionally, he's made headlines in the past for reaching out to a teenage girl on Instagram.

Johansson has been a vocal supporter for a variety of issues including Puerto Rico relief, Planned Parenthood, the Time's Up movement, and the Women's march, but she has also been under fire over the years for her work with Woody Allen on multiple times and her role in the whitewashing of films.

During her speech, she described a "rage" that has bubbled up inside of her over the years and finding the courage to address how she's created narratives for herself in the past to compromise her morals for approval.

"For so many centuries, women have been taught to be polite, to please and to pander," she said. "I've come to realize that not just my 19 year-old self but my schoolyard self, my married self, my professional self have all been at times a victim of this very condition," Johansson continued. “I recently introduced a new phrase in my life that I would like to share with you: No more pandering. No more feeling guilty about hurting someone’s feelings when something doesn’t feel right for me."

You can watch Johannson's full speech above.

Topics Celebrities

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