Scarlett Johansson felt typecast as a sex symbol during her younger years

Speaking to The Sunday Times newspaper, Scarlett explained: "When I was younger, a lot of the roles I was offered, or I went for, had their ambitions or character arcs revolving around their own desirability, or the male gaze, or a male-centred story."

Scarlett has overcome the issue by rejecting "unfulfilling" roles and patiently waiting for the right opportunities to come her way.

The actress - who has Rose, ten, with Romain Dauriac, and Cosmo, three, with husband Colin Jost - said: "I just waited.

"I had to become comfortable with the idea that it could take some time. Which is hard when you're a young actor, but at that time I didn't have any children."

Scarlett recently made her directorial debut with Eleanor the Great, the drama movie that starred June Squibb.

The actress subsequently revealed that she found directing to be a "really rewarding" experience.

She told Extra: "I have a different perspective on just the process of, you know, pre-production and then what goes on after we all leave. I think, as an actor, you're hoping that the director sees kind of what you were doing and follows, you know, pulls the right thread and all of that stuff, but you don't know.

"You have no, kind of, control over it and now, you know, having experienced the other side of it, it just gives you, I think, an interesting insight into how people, other directors make their choices and the process that they go through to, you know, make it all happen.

"It's a lot of work, but it can be really rewarding."

Scarlett premiered the movie at the Cannes Film Festival, and she relished walking the red carpet with the film's stars.

She said: "Just being able to stand alongside Erin Kellyman and June Squibb after the film premiered and feel the warmth of the audience and the love from the audience for the film and for the incredible performances in it, it was such a moving moment."