Scarlett Johansson became one of Hollywood’s H๏τtest stars at the age of just 19 with her performance in 2004’s Lost In Translation. Despite the vulnerable, complex characters she has become known for, Scarlett’s rise was marked by a confidence beyond her years.

As a child growing up in New York, she regularly auditioned for advertising work. But the youngster’s distinctive features and husky voice didn’t sit well with ad execs in search of the all-American kid.

Despite numerous reʙuттals, however, the youngster was determined not to give up; she planned on following in the footsteps of another child star, Jodie Foster all the way to the top. She enrolled at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Insтιтute For Young People and within just a few months won a speaking part opposite Ethan Hawke in the Broadway play Sophistry.

But it was in the 1998 romance The Horse Whisperer, as Kristin Scott Thomas’ troubled daughter, that she caught Tinseltown’s attention. The movie’s leading man Robert Redford described her as “13 going on 30” and top casting agents immediately realised there was a H๏τ new talent in town.

Scarlett grew up in New York, the joint youngest of four children she has a twin brother, Hunter. Her father, an architect, immigrated from Denmark at the age of 27, leaving behind his first wife and Scarlett’s half-brother.

In the Big Apple Karsten Johansson married again and established a living in New York’s building trade. Those close to Scarlett talked of her having a wisdom beyond her years.

“She makes you feel like she has been around the world,” said Lost In Translation director Sofia Coppola. “She has a coolness and a subtlety that you would not expect. You feel like she’s seen a lot.”

Despite being very much a New Yorker, Scarlett took to the Hollywood scene with aplomb. The A-list status had its benefits, such as an art collection, a cool BMW and even cooler boyfriends. She’s dated Josh Hartnett and Sean Penn.