MOVIE beauty Scarlett Johansson is set for her biggest ever pay day and a chance to star in her own Black Widow movie. The sexy star is said to be about to sign up for a stand-alone adventure for her Iron Man 2 character as well as a return with her superhero pals in The Avengers 2. “The success of The Avengers means Scarlett is holding all the cards when it comes to Black Widow,” reveals a Hollywood insider. “She’s a vital component of The Avengers and it’s sequel but she wants to have her own movie too. “The chances are that Black Widow will have her own adventure on the big screen as early as next year.”

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Historical evidence shows that anytime an A-list actress is attached to a film role that requires her to wear a latex costume, a bikini, tight clothing, no clothing, or, really, any clothing at all, tabloids will devote extensive coverage to how said actress prepared to fit into her garment. Scarlett Johansson, who was the unfortunate subject of one such recent round of body-related scrutiny—thanks to the latex catsuit she wore as Black Widow in The Avengers—has composed a thoughtful essay over at Huffington Post in which she both scolds the “toilet paper rags” for their irresponsible reporting and lampoons the most ridiculous of the ridiculous tabloid headlines.

After dispelling some of the more extreme rumors about her slim-down (“If I were to lose 14 pounds, I’d have to part with both arms. And a foot”) and describing her actual diet and exercise routine, Johansson attacks the media for perpetuating body obsession with its sensationalist headlines:

While Johansson has been busy crafting a well-structured argument against her weight-loss pundits, it appears that the tabloid press has moved on. Among the body-care routines currently on the radar, per the headlines: “Kim Kardashian: I Won’t Take a ‘Bubble Bath’ with Kanye West on TV,” “Pregnant Snooki Gives Up Tanning!”, and “See Tom Cruise’s Ripped, Tattooed Bod, Heavy Metal Makeover for Rock of Ages.”

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While training for an upcoming film, I've come to this conclusion: chin ups are near impossible and lunges suck. There is no magic wand to wave over oneself to look good in a latex catsuit. Eating healthy and getting fit is about commitment, determination, consistency and the dedication to self-preservation. While I've never been considered a gym rat, I have, in fact, worked up a sweat in the name of cardio before, and although I enjoy a grilled cheese as much as the next person, I combine the not-so-good foods I crave with an all-around balanced diet.

People come in all shapes and sizes and everyone has the capability to meet their maximum potential. Once filming is completed, I'll no longer need to rehash the 50 ways to lift a dumbbell, but I'll commit to working out at least 30 minutes a day and eating a balanced diet of fruit, vegetables and lean proteins. Pull ups, crunches, lunges, squats, jumping jacks, planks, walking, jogging and push ups are all exercises that can be performed without fancy trainers or gym memberships. I've realized through this process that no matter how busy my life may be, I feel better when I take a little time to focus on staying active. We can all pledge to have healthy bodies no matter how diverse our lifestyles may be.

Since dedicating myself to getting into "superhero shape," several articles regarding my weight have been brought to my attention. Claims have been made that I've been on a strict workout routine regulated by co-stars, whipped into shape by trainers I've never met, eating sprouted grains I can't pronounce and ultimately losing 14 pounds off my 5'3" frame. Losing 14 pounds out of necessity in order to live a healthier life is a huge victory. I'm a petite person to begin with, so the idea of my losing this amount of weight is utter lunacy. If I were to lose 14 pounds, I'd have to part with both arms. And a foot. I'm frustrated with the irresponsibility of tabloid media who sell the public ideas about what we should look like and how we should get there.

Every time I pass a newsstand, the bold yellow font of tabloid and lifestyle magazines scream out at me: "Look Who's Lost It!" "They Were Fabby and Now They're Flabby!" "They Were Flabby and Now They're Flat!" We're all aware of the sagas these glossies create: "Look Who's Still A Sea Cow After Giving Birth to Twins!" Or the equally perverse: "Slammin' Post Baby Beach Bodies Just Four Days After Crowning!"

According to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), as many as 10 million females and 1 million males living in the US are fighting a life and death battle with anorexia or bulimia. I'm someone who has always publicly advocated for a healthy body image and the idea that the media would maintain that I have lost an impossible amount of weight by some sort of "crash diet" or miracle workout is ludicrous. I believe it's reckless and dangerous for these publications to sell the story that these are acceptable ways to looking like a "movie star." It's great to get tips on how to lead a healthier lifestyle, but I don't want some imaginary account of "How She Did It!" I get into and stay in shape by eating a proper diet and maintaining a healthy amount of exercise.

The press should be held accountable for the false ideals they sell to their readers regarding body image — that's the real weight of the issue. The NEDA goes on to say, "the media is one of our most important allies in the effort to raise awareness about the dangers of eating disorders...we strive to work with the media to produce accurate, insightful and informative pieces that will resonate with the public, while maintaining hope and avoiding glamorizing or promoting copycats." But how are we, the reader, to decipher friend from foe? How are we supposed to view articles highlighting celebrity cellulite and not sulk in the mirror, imagining a big red arrow pointing to various parts of our bodies? The media has packaged for us an unhealthy idea that one must suffer loss, be in the middle of a nervous breakdown, feel pressure from friends or coworkers, battle divorce or have a bitter dispute with an ex in order to get into acceptable bikini shape.

So why do these publications do so well? After appearing on the cover of US Weekly's "Did They or Didn't They? A Plastic Surgery Guide for Dimwits" issue and battling for a retraction, I learned that the magazine profited $1.4 million from the issue alone (money I felt should be donated to Operation Smile or an equally well-managed charity helping those in need of reconstructive surgery). The concept of 'Stars Are Just Like Us!" makes us feel connected to lifestyles that can sometime seem out of this world. Yes, celebrities are just like us. They struggle with demons and overcome obstacles and have annoying habits and battle vices. That said, I would be absolutely mortified to discover that some 15-year-old girl in Kansas City read one of these "articles" and decided she wasn't going to eat for a couple of weeks so she too could "crash diet" and look like Scarlett Johansson.

I'm not normally the type to dignify toilet paper rags with a response, but in this case I feel it's my responsibility to comment. In a way, I'm glad some dummy journalist (and I use the term "journalist" loosely) is banking on my "deflating" so that I can address the issue straight from my healthy heart.

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Scarlett Johansson kicks major butt as Black Widow in The Avengers, saving Earth from imminent doom, all while wearing a black catsuit. Between slipping into a skintight costume and unveiling some serious moves against Loki's army, this wasn't a character the star, 27, rolled out of bed for. To prep for the physically demanding role, she worked for almost two months with trainer Bobby Strom and her stunt double Heidi Moneymaker. Keep reading to see how the blonde beauty got herself in svelte shape for the role.

The power of circuits: Strom, who also trained Johansson during Iron Man 2, says he used a similar training program for her reprisal of this role: 90-minute circuit workouts, multiple times per week. The goal was to get her ready for those explosive on-screen movements. Strom kept things varied through the use of dumbbells, resistance bands, medicine balls, and TRX; workouts were built around sets of 20, with 25 to 30 reps of each exercise. Strom also had the star doing running intervals, both in and out of the gym. Get in superhero shape like Johansson did by finishing our full-body circuit workout with weights.

Combative training: One of the first scenes in The Avengers shows Johansson fighting off multiple members of the Russian mob, something which Moneymaker helped her prepare for. A longtime stunt double in the industry, Moneymaker says she and the actress had about six weeks to prepare for the various fight scenes in the movie, using elements of mixed martial arts (MMA) and "hand-to-hand combat and weapons training." Speaking of the role, Johansson told Vogue, "You get beat up a lot," she says. "It's painful." Get a little MMA into your own life by doing this video workout with former Biggest Loser trainer Brett Hoebel.

An (almost) vegan diet: The actress arrived on set already following a healthy diet plan, one that Strom describes as "mostly vegan." He says she focused on eating several small meals each day. As was the case during Iron Man 2, there was a lot of oatmeal, fresh fruits and veggies, salads, and lean proteins.

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One more for ya to look at today. Although she kicks ass as Black Widow in The Avengers, actress Scarlett Johansson has plenty of other roles coming up, besides directing her own feature. One of her other films is Under the Skin, an indie sci-fi project directed by Jonathan Glazer, now in post in London. FilmNation, one of the producers, unveiled on twitter a first look at Scarlett Johansson as an alien on earth, disguised as the "perfect aesthetic form of a mesmerizing woman." Yea she looks a bit different, but still the same ole Scarlett you know and love, with a kind of Russian tinge, I'd say.

Jonathan Glazer's third film following Sexy Beast and Birth, Under the Skin is the story of an alien in human form. Part road movie, part science fiction, part real, it’s a film about seeing our world through alien eyes. Filming wrapped in London earlier this year, following extensive location shooting in Scotland. "She scours remote highways and desolate scenery looking to use her greatest weapon to snare human prey -- her voracious sexuality. She is deadly efficient, but over time becomes drawn to and changed by the complexity of life on earth. With this new found humanity and weakening alien resolve, she finds herself on a collision course with her own kind." This is likely an early tease for the Cannes Market as it's looking to be acquired.

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The "Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations" Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City was the place to be on Monday night. New mom Beyonce stunned in a sheer black and purple dress that showed off her muscular legs. Rihanna was glamorous in a black form-fitted gown, while an adorable Emma Stone wore a short red cocktail dress.

Other stars shining in their designer duds included a golden Jessica Alba, a regal Scarlett Johansson, and a sparkling Cameron Diaz.

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Joining in on quite the big evening in the Big Apple, Scarlett Johansson turned up for the 'Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations' 2012 Costume Institute Gala in New York City. The "Avengers" actress sashayed through the Metropolitan Museum of Art venue while clad in a gorgeous Dolce & Gabbana dress.

The annual fete finds actress Carey Mulligan acting as honorary co-chair alongside designer Miuccia Prada and US Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, while Azealia Banks is lined up to perform. As for the celebratory occasion, this year's rendition of the Met gala ushers in the 'Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations' exhibition exploring "the striking affinities between Elsa Schiaparelli and Miuccia Prada, two Italian designers from different eras."

The display is described as being "inspired by Miguel Covarrubias's "Impossible Interviews" for Vanity Fair in the 1930s while featuring "orchestrated conversations between these iconic women to suggest new readings of their most innovative work."

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Her new flick “The Avengers” just grossed $18.7 million during last night’s midnight showings, and Scarlett Johansson had a blast making the superhero film. During her interview with Ryan Seacrest, the Black Widow babe shared some of the good times she had on the set, especially during the down time.

Scarlett confessed, “Most of the time we just played how long can you hold the ice to your bruise game. We did actually play Dance Dance Revolution.”She continued, “There so many videotapes like Tom Hiddleston and I doing the Macarena or something, from the back it’s absolutely absurd. You get so frenzied when you’re playing that game, you want to win it so bad you lose yourself completely.”

Ms. Johansson also discussed the pressure she felt to make the best movie possible. “There’s a lot of expectation from the fans to deliver. I’ve seen the film a couple of times and I don’t want to sound overly enthusiastic about it, but I can’t help it, I think it’s pretty awesome and people are responding really, really well to it. So, I hope the fans enjoy it as much as all of us do.”

“We’ve been kind of touring the globe with the film now, the fans are just like absolutely rabid, globally. They love these characters…people feel nostalgic about these characters and they just get so involved in the universe and it’s a really fun kind of fantasy for people to get lost in. But the fans are very passionate.”

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Bringing an end to her busy day, Scarlett Johansson paid a visit to “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”. The “We Bought a Zoo” actress looked beautiful in a classy sleeveless white dress as she joked with Jay about her newly-received star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

When conversation turned to her role as Black Widow in the new superhero flick “The Avengers,” Scarlett had some less-than-glamorous things to say about her skin-tight getup. “It was like wearing sweaty pajamas,” she began. “Compared to what everyone else was wearing, it was a walk in the park,” noted Scarlett, referring to the crazy outfits her costars had to suffer with.

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Scarlett Johansson was immortalized on Wednesday with her very own star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, right outside of Madam Tussaud's famed wax museum. The Avengers star becomes the 2,470th celebrity to receive the honor; and she was joined by her sister, mother and grandmother at the unveiling, along with Avengers co-star Jeremy Renner, who she shares a lot of scenes with in the film, which opens Friday.

"This industry in which I was practically raised has been so impossibly kind to me," she said. "There's never a day where I go to set and don't thank my lucky stars to simply be a working actor."Renner also spoke at the event, likening her to the stars of yesteryear. "Scarlett is built like a classic Hollywood movie star," he said. "However, it is only betrayed by her no-nonsense attitude, her sharp wit and self-deprecating sense of humor that truly defines her alluring charm."

Scarlett recently spoke with Reuters about her experience filming The Avengers, revealing that the predominantly male cast was a little rougher with her than she expected. She says, "If anything, the guys weren't as delicate with me as I thought they would be. They like to play hard and always dragged me along for the ride. I'd always come back with battle wounds. But they're a great group of guys. All of us got on so well."

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