Scarlett Johansson‘s political activism has made headlines in recent weeks after Donald Trump’s election. Immediately after the Inauguration, Johansson was a headline speaker at the Women’s March on Washington, where she pledged support to Planned Parenthood.
And Johansson vows to keep getting political.
“I don’t plan on not using my voice any time soon,” Johansson told PEOPLE Deputy Editor JD Heyman on the red carpet ahead of the 2017 Oscars. “I’ve always been politically active. My parents … my grandmother always encouraged us to be involved.”
Johansson, who attended the event with her agent, also acknowledged critics who have slammed celebrities for getting what they consider to be overly political after the election.
“You put yourself kinda out there and people will have something to say about it, and that’s OK,” she said.
However, Johansson doesn’t plan to ditch Hollywood for Washington any time soon. The actress, who was presenting at the Oscars, admitted that she was awestruck during rehearsals the day before the big show.
“Yesterday we had the rehearsal and I got to walk out on that big stage,” she said. “Makes you remember what you love about your job, the magic of your job.”
PEOPLE and Entertainment Weekly’s Red Carpet Live streaming pre-show is giving fans an inside look into this year’s Oscars. PEOPLE Deputy Editor JD Heyman and Lola Ogunnaike, host of PEOPLE/Entertainment Weekly Network (PEN’s) Entertainment Weekly: The Show, will be on the red carpet in L.A. while PEOPLE Now hosts Jeremy Parsons and Andrea Boehlke will lead the panel discussions from our N.Y.C. studio with the Time Inc. experts. And PEOPLE and EW editorial director Jess Cagle will give a behind-the-scenes look at Oscars prep.
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Watch the PEOPLE and EW Red Carpet Live Oscars pre-show on Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT on the People/Entertainment Weekly Network (PEN). Go to PEOPLE.com/PEN, or download the app on your favorite device. Then watch our Red Carpet Fashion Wrap-Up after the Oscars!
• Check out PEOPLE’s full 2017 Academy Awards coverage and complete winners list!
With PEOPLE’s Oscars Fan Experience, viewers can participate by sending in videos about their favorites to win an Oscar to Burst.com/Oscars. Through the Oscars Fan Experience Sweepstakes, hundreds of VIP subscribers will sit in front-row seats at the Oscars red carpet, followed by an exclusive viewing party right across the street from the ceremony.
The Academy Awards kicks off live on ABC on Sunday, Feb. 26, with a 7 p.m. ET pre-show and 8:30 p.m. ceremony. See all the Oscar nominees and get your own ballot here!
