Despite net worth of $165 million, Scarlett Johansson says work-life balance ‘is not possible’
Reflecting on the idea of perfect work-life balance, Scarlett Johansson admitted that either work or home inevitably ends up needing more attention at some point.
Beyond her career as an actor and entrepreneur, Johansson also spoke about motherhood and how it reshaped her idea of success (Source: CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube) Among the many conversations that keep resurfacing online, work-life balance remains one of the most debated. From corporate leaders to everyday social media users, everyone seems to have an opinion on it. Now, Hollywood actor Scarlett Johansson has weighed in too — and according to her, the idea of perfectly balancing everything may simply be unrealistic.
The 41-year-old believes accepting that truth is perhaps the closest anyone can get to achieving peace. While most people spend years trying to strike the perfect balance between career and personal life, Johansson feels there will always be compromises somewhere. Despite being one of the world’s highest-paid actors, with an estimated net worth of $165 million according to Celebrity Net Worth, she said she has learned to stop chasing perfection and instead ask herself one simple question: “Is it good enough?”
Speaking during a recent interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Johansson was asked whether she believes work-life balance actually exists. Reflecting on the idea, the ‘Lost in Translation’ star said, “admitting that there is no work-life balance is the first step to getting there in a way because it’s just not possible.” She also admitted that either work or home inevitably ends up needing more attention at some point. “I’ve learned to be more kind to myself in that way. You can’t do all of these things all the time,” she said, before adding, “There’s just like, ‘Is it good enough?’”
Beyond her career as an actor and entrepreneur, Johansson also spoke about motherhood and how it reshaped her idea of success. She shares daughter Rose Dorothy Dauriac with her former husband and son Cosmo Jost with her husband, comedian Colin Jost. According to her, becoming a parent changed the way she measures achievement and fulfilment.
She explained that trying to do the right thing matters more than constantly trying to please everyone. Recalling advice she once received, Johansson said, “Somebody once told me, ‘If you’re successful as a parent like 75% of the time, that’s good—if you’re doing 75% of it like right, then you’re winning,’ which is probably true.”
Johansson remains one of the entertainment industry’s biggest stars. According to Forbes, she ranked as the fourth highest-paid actor of 2025, behind Adam Sandler, Tom Cruise and Mark Wahlberg. She is also second on the list of highest-grossing actors worldwide, just behind Zoe Saldaña. Fans will next see her in the upcoming film Paper Tiger alongside Adam Driver and Miles Teller. She was previously seen in Jurassic World: Rebirth, released in 2025.
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