Scarlett Johansson Says Jonathan Glazer’s ‘Under the Skin’ Is “Abstract” & One Of The Most “Challenging” Roles She’s Done

While making the rounds for the wonderful, shimmery Cameron Crowe joint "We Bought a Zoo," the wonderful, shimmery Scarlett Johansson offered New York Magazine's Vulture blog some juicy tidbits about two of her most speculated-about upcoming projects: Jonathan Glazer's "Under the Skin" and her own adaptation of Truman Capote's posthumously published novel, "Summer Crossing," that will mark her feature directorial debut.

About "Summer Crossing," a novel Capote wrote but left on the shelf for decades about a high society girl and her affair with a lowly parking attendant, she tells Vulture that she's still setting it up. "It’s a project I’ve been developing for five or six years. I’m writing it right now with Tristine Skyler, so we’ll see," Johansson said. "You have a script and then you take it out and finance it. It’s a big pre-production process, but that’s where my focus is." In addition to Skyler, it was reported last month that she also has "Deer Hunter" producer Barry Spikings, Peter D. Graves and the Truman Capote Literary Trust all in her corner. So we have a feeling this will finally see the light of day sooner rather than later.

As for "Under the Skin," which is undoubtedly one of our most hotly anticipated films for 2012 and a long-awaited return by Glazer ("Birth" came out in 2004 for Christ's sake!), she says that it isn't just about an alien disguised as a hot woman (and if you've read Michel Faber's wonderfull bizarre novel, you know that's not true). "I think Jonathan [Glazer] would probably say it's a movie about an 'it' that becomes a 'she.' It's kind of impossible to describe," Johansson tells the blog. "It'd be like trying to describe a Mike Leigh film. It's very abstract in a certain way."

When asked if the movie has comedy elements (has no one read this novel? or even done cursory research?), Johansson says no. "It's like nothing I've ever done," she said. "I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. It's physically and emotionally challenging. I've never done anything as difficult. I don't think Jonathan has, either. We're exhausted. It's nice to be that challenged. It feels like you're alive."

While we wait for those to arrive, you can catch ScarJo in "We Bought a Zoo" when it opens on December 23rd.