Scarlett Johansson Skips Award Ceremony After Becoming “Violently Ill”

Awards season is well underway and among those being honored at various ceremonies for their achievements in film during the past year is Black Widow star Scarlett Johansson, but the actress unfortunately had to sit out one awards event rather unexpectedly. Johansson was unable to attend the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Friday where she and Marriage Story co-star Adam Drier were set to receive the 2020 Outstanding Performers of the Year Award after becoming “violently ill.”

Johansson’s illness prevented her from being at the event to accept the award – Driver was present to accept the award – but she did send along a note that was read on stage (via ET Canada).

“I am so saddened that I cannot be here with you this evening. An hour and a half ago, I became violently ill right as I was about to leave the Miramar hotel for the theater,” the note read. “I was so looking forward to accepting this incredible honor in person, and to not be here on stage with Adam is deeply disappointing, to say the least.”

In the Noah Baumbach-directed Marriage Story, Driver and Johansson play a couple who are going through a bitter divorce with Johansson’s Nicole wanting to live in Los Angeles with the couple’s son while Driver’s Charlie wants to live in New York. The film itself has received quite a bit of awards love, with the film earning Oscar nominations for Best Picture as well as a Best Actor nomination for Driver and a Best Actress nomination for Johansson. Johansson’s Best Actress nomination is part of a rare honor for the actress for the upcoming Academy Awards as she was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her work in Jojo Rabbit, putting her in the unusual situation of potentially going home with two acting awards.

That said, there is some stiff competition in both the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress categories that may stand in Johansson’s way. In the Best Actress category, she’s up against Renee Zellweger for Judy, Cynthia Erivo for Harriet, Charlize Theron for Bombshell, and Saoirse Ronan for Little Women. In the Best Supporting Actress category, she’s up against Kathy Bates for Richard Jewell, Laura Dern for Marriage Story, Margot Robbie for Bombshell, and her Black Widow co-star Florence Pugh for Little Women.

The 92nd Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, February 9 beginning at 8 p.m. ET. They will be broadcast live on ABC.