Scarlett Johansson Says She Wants the ‘Jenna & Friends’ Cohost Job Amid Fan Pleas for Her to Join Show
As celebrities continue to sit alongside Jenna Bush Hager at the Today With Jenna & Friends desk, there’s one star both Bush Hager and fans want to see fill the cohosting role permanently.
“We miss you,” Bush Hager told her “bestie” Scarlett Johansson on the show’s Wednesday, June 25, episode. “Have you missed us?” she asked, to which Johansson replied, “I miss you guys a lot. I have been thinking about you so much.”
Bush Hager went on to tell the actress that “of all the friends, everybody’s like, ‘Hire Scarlett Johansson.'” The comment delighted Johansson, who excitedly stated, “I want the job! I need to get here.”
Though Bush Hager was open to the idea, she also understood that Johansson is one of Hollywood’s busiest stars. “Don’t tease us like that!” she quipped. “Don’t tease us.”
Bush Hager later noted that she wanted to visit the Staten Island Ferry boat Johansson’s husband, Colin Jost, purchased with Pete Davidson but that Johansson may be “too busy” to do so with her.
“I’m gonna get less busy for you,” Johansson sweetly stated. Bush Hager’s cohost of the day, Maria Shriver, poked fun at the pair’s friendship, joking, “Look at these two. I mean, it’s out of control.”
Later in the episode, Bush Hager beat Shriver in a game of “Get a Clue” to see who could get Johansson to guess the most clues by using one-word hints. “Please come back and hang with us,” Bush Hager said after the game. Johansson agreed on the condition that she “get another week” on Jenna & Friends.
“Are you kidding me? You can get another week right now if you want,” Bush Hager declared before Johansson joined her to tease the show’s next segment.
NBC
Johansson was one of Bush Hager’s first celebrity cohosts following Hoda Kotb‘s departure from the NBC morning show on January 10. The Jurassic World: Rebirth star joined Bush Hager for an entire week of shows from January 21 through January 24.
Johansson agreed to return for more cohosting gigs during her last episode on January 24. “We started a GoFundMe so you could be here all the time!” Bush Hager joked on-air. “It’s been the dream; you’re the best.”
Johansson called the idea of becoming Jenna & Friends‘ permanent cohost a “fantasy job” in a March interview with InStyle, stating, “I like every element of that job, because I love talking to people. It’s not dissimilar from hosting Saturday Night Live in some ways. The live element of it is really fun. Spontaneous and a little dangerous too. I would never want my own TV show.”
Johansson also compared Kotb to being like a “mentor,” adding, “I think with Hoda, it was so great because she was like, you know, a little older, but with kids. … She was a little step ahead. Jenna needs to be with someone funny.”
Today With Jenna & Friends, Weekdays, 10 a.m. ET, NBC
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