She has had a very successful acting career of over two-and-a-half decades and has even earned two Oscar nominations.

So no doubt Scarlett Johannsson has a flair for the dramatic.

The 35-year-old actress donned intensely long eyelashes for the new cover of Entertainment Weekly.

She even paid a subtle homage to her comic book character, Black Widow, as her ring fingernail was painted with her symbol as she discussed the ‘personal journey’ of playing the character over a decade.

As she has portrayed the character since 2010’s Iron Man 2 and can soon be seen in her first standalone film, she revealed that not only has the character evolved on-screen but portraying Natasha Romanoff (AKA Black Widow) has helped her grow as a person.

She said: ‘This film is very much a result of that journey, my own personal journey.

‘I feel that I probably wasn’t as willing or able to go to the kind of uncomfortable, embarrassing, ugly places before. I think it’s just as you get older, you trust yourself more.’

Scarlett has also played Natasha, a former KGB assassin and a member of the Avengers, in several other films including The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Of her connection with her character she said: ‘I think this character’s strength really lies in her vulnerability and her acceptance of that.

‘I think this character’s strength really lies in her vulnerability and her acceptance of that.’

One of the more interesting things is that the Black Widow film actually takes place in between two Marvel Cinematic Universe films in which the Avengers were filled with turmoil and broke up: 2016’s Captain America: Civil War and 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War.

Of the timeline choice, Scarlett said: ‘I thought it was interesting to explore this part of her life before she rejoins the Avengers, before she makes that ultimate sacrifice.

‘How does she become this full person from all these broken pieces?’

The upcoming superhero film follows Natasha as she reunites with her group of Russian spies who went undercover together as a family when she was a child including Rachel Weisz’s Melina and Florence Pugh’s Yelena.

The film directed by Cate Shortland also stars David Harbour, O-T Fagbenle, Ray Winstone, Michelle Lee, William Hurt, and Shaina West.

Black Widow is set for release in the US and UK on May 1.