Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson was deeply moved by the script of her directorial debut film, Eleanor The Great. The 40-year-old star takes the helm for the upcoming drama, which tells the story of a 90-year-old Florida woman (played by June Squibb) who strikes an unexpected friendship with a 19-year-old student (played by Erin Kellyman) in New York City.

Speaking to Deadline, Johansson shared, “When I read it, I cried, and that almost never happens… Sometimes a script will move you like that, which is extraordinary.” She compared the emotional impact of Eleanor The Great to when she read the script for Jojo Rabbit.

Johansson also reflected on how the story reminded her of classic indie films from the 1990s and early 2000s, citing Crossing Delancey, Living Out Loud, and early Woody Allen films as stylistic inspirations.

The actress-director recalled the challenges of a tight production timeline, saying, “It fell apart a thousand different times.” Despite the stress, Johansson felt grateful that Sony Pictures Classics and TriStar came on board to support the project, calling the collaboration “perfect” and praising TriStar executive Nicole Brown as a “dream executive.”