Scarlett Johansson cast Holocaust survivors in Eleanor the Great

Scarlett Johansson cast real Holocaust survivors in Eleanor the Great.

The 40-year-old star made her directorial debut with the drama movie, and Scarlett has revealed that she cast real Holocaust survivors in the film because she wanted them to “share their stories”.

The Hollywood star told People: “It wasn’t really ever a question of whether we would cast real survivors. It was more of how can we identify people that would want to participate, could participate.

“So, we got really lucky. Every time we would find someone who could participate, it was like, ‘Yes, we got another survivor.'”

Eleanor the Great tells the story of an elderly woman who develops an unlikely friendship with a 19-year-old student in New York City. However, the movie also features a subplot involving Holocaust survivors.

Scarlett added: “I think at the time there was like 250,000 survivors living. Of course, every year it’s much less. So, we were able to identify [that] it’s a community.”

The actress-turned-director leaned on Jessica Hecht, who stars in the film, and the Shoah Foundation to find people who were interested in appearing in the movie.

Scarlett explained: “I don’t think anybody in the group had really done a film like that before … They really were just engaged and listening.”

Scarlett previously 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.

Scarlett – who is one of the best-paid actresses in Hollywood – 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.”