Scarlett Johansson clarifies comments on politically correct casting

One year after actor Scarlett Johansson decided to exit upcoming film 'Rub and Tug' following the backlash she received for being cast as a transgender man, the star made headlines for a new interview in which she spoke about politically correct casting and stated that she should "be allowed to play any person".

The 34-year-old actor clarified her comments made in the interview in a statement to Entertainment Weekly on Sunday, via her representative, claiming "An interview that was recently published has been edited for click bait and is widely taken out of context."

"The question I was answering in my conversation with the contemporary artist, David Salle, was about the confrontation between political correctness and art," Johansson said of her interview that was published earlier this month.

"I personally feel that, in an ideal world, any actor should be able to play anybody and art, in all forms, should be immune to political correctness. That is the point I was making, albeit didn't come across that way," she added.

"I recognize that in reality, there is a wide-spread discrepancy amongst my industry that favours Caucasian, cis-gendered actors and that not every actor has been given the same opportunities that I have been privileged to."