Scarlett Johansson is a household name: whether it was from her role in the Marvel Universe, her scene-stealing turn in Lost in Translation, or even playing the devastating divorcee in Marriage Story, we all know the actress as a powerhouse in Hollywood.
However, life was not always easy for the A-lister, who grew up in New York to struggling parents. Read on to discover all about ScarJo's blended family.
![Scarlett and her mother Melanie](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/original_aspect_ratio/4ee8fc4330f4-gettyimages-50934382.jpg)
ScarJo's humble beginnings
Her father is Danish architect Karsten Johansson, and her mother is a New York native and producer named Melanie Sloan.
Scarlett opened up about her upbringing on an Inside the Actors Studio episode in 2017, saying, "My parents were raising four kids in a low-income household in Manhattan. So, it was a lot."
"We were living on welfare, we were on food stamps."
Despite the tough times, her mother did her best to shield the children from the realities of their lives; Scarlett told Entertainment Tonight that her mom "tried to be as much as a buffer as possible with that experience. It was a lot."
"She would take us to see Broadway plays when she could afford it," she told Variety in 2023. "We'd line up in the half-price ticket line and then go see a show."
Sadly, Melanie and Karsten split in 1997, when Scarlett was still a teen; while she and her twin brother Hunter stayed in New York with their father, their mother moved to California.
![NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 02: Scarlett Johansson attends an event hosted by David Yurman in support of Lower Eastside Girls Club at David Yurman 57th St on November 02, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images for David Yurman)](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/original_aspect_ratio/a2da329798b8-gettyimages-1438669128.jpg)
Christian Johansson
Christian is Scarlett's eldest sibling from her father's first marriage, making him her half-brother. While he leads a private life and stays out of the spotlight, he does have film credits in Sweden, where the family's grandfather hails from.
He has worked on several short films in the Scandinavian country: he was a crew member on the film Sven in 1997, the writer and cinematographer for Blåljus in 2004 and a camera lighting technician for Skallgång. Since 2004, it seems he has stepped away from the big screen as he has no screen credits past that year.
![scarlett johansson black dress](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/original_aspect_ratio/ed2b700349a3-scarlett-johansson-plunging-black-dress.jpg)
Adrian Johansson
Scarlett's second eldest brother also pursued a career in acting, just like his siblings. He appeared in the short film Red Light August in 1999 and acted in 2001's Rain. He is also a talented voice actor, with credits like "Grand Theft Auto IV" and "Red Dead Redemption" to his name.
![Scarlett and Vanessa Johansson](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/original_aspect_ratio/534fda22adc7-gettyimages-676732886.jpg)
Vanessa Johansson
Scarlett's older sister is another showbiz alum, and she even acted alongside her little sister in Manny & Lo in 1996, where Scarlett played the lead and Vanessa acted in the background.
She studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and at Carnegie Mellon, and despite having minor roles in films through the years, the actress's real talent lies in voice acting, just like her brother Adrian.
She has narrated over 60 audiobooks throughout her career and has even won awards for her talent. Speaking with FangirlNation in 2018, she said, "I love creating characters, doing different accents, being moved by stories, and conveying that in my performance."
"It is a wonderful outlet for a creative person to use a lot of skills I've honed as an actor in another way," she continued.
The actress joined forces with her younger sister in 2016 when Scarlett read for Audible's edition of ‘Alice's Adventures in Wonderland’.
Vanessa directed Scarlett in the role and evidently loved working together; she told People, "We're very close and, as you can imagine, have been playing around and doing funny voices since we were little, so it was a great project for the two of us because we're so used to inventing together."
Most recently, Vanessa made her directorial debut with Screen Time, a short film made in 2020.
![Hunter and Scarlett Johansson](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/original_aspect_ratio/971ec42bc3ac-gettyimages-459205564.jpg)
Hunter Johansson
Scarlett's twin looks like just his sister, but he did not choose the same career path as his siblings. He studied politics at New York University, which eventually led him to public service after getting a Master of Public Administration in 2019. He also worked as a community organizer and worked on Obama's 2008 campaign.
Hunter spends his time doing charitable work; after the devastating Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017, he founded Solar Responders, which aims to install solar panels in firehouses in case of power outages.
He also teamed up with his twin sister in 2014 for the Champions of Rockaway Hurricane Sandy Fundraiser, which he co-hosted with Scarlett to raise money for the disaster victims.
Scarlett has nothing but praise for her brother; she told People that "if there is a truly altruistic person I know in my life, it's my brother."
"He reminds me to be a better person all the time. I'm incredibly proud of him."
She explained to Parade in 2015 how strong their bond really is, saying, "I think a lot of people spend their life looking for a partner, someone to be a mirror to reflect upon, to remind them that they've lived. My twin brother has always been that for me."
Hunter feels similarly about Scarlett, telling the publication, "She is my other half. Nothing is more important to me than my twin."
![Scarlett and her family](https://images.hellomagazine.com/horizon/original_aspect_ratio/6d89fd79af11-gettyimages-143682131.jpg)
Fenan Sloan
Last but certainly not least is Scarlett's youngest sister, Fenan, whom her mother adopted from Ethiopia in 2010 when she was less than two years old.
It seems that Fenan lives a relatively normal life, according to her mom's Instagram, on which she is a regular feature. She joined her family to celebrate Scarlett at her Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony in 2010, sweetly pictured in her older sister's arms. She also attended an event for the release of 'The Babysitters Club' audiobook by Audible, which Vanessa voiced.