Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost’s Complete Relationship Timeline
After three years of dating, Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost married in 2020 and welcomed their first child together in 2021. They’ve now been married for nearly four years and seem to still going strong. Both Johansson and Jost were big stars before they started dating and have only gotten more famous and successful since.
Here’s Jost and Johansson’s complete relationship history so far, from their differing stories on how they met to where they’re at today.
The couple remember when they first met differently, and it seems like Jost may have been taken with the Ghost World actress long before she noticed him. He told Entertainment Tonight that he met his future wife when Johansson hosted Saturday Night Live in January 2006.
“The first time she hosted was the first year I was a writer on the show,” he claimed. “So, we’ve kind of known each other since then…she’s the best.”
In his memoir, A Very Punchable Face, Jost doubled down on his timeline, writing he immediately noted her as being “beautiful, smart, sweet, and intimidatingly sophisticated” and for having “a grace and a smile that I’ve still never seen in any other human.”
“She has just turned 20, and I was 23, but in terms of status and maturing she was here [holds hand above head] and I was here [holds hand one inch off ground],” he continued. “She claims that she remembers thinking I was ‘cute,’ but I know what I looked like and that’s not the word I would have used. (‘Shaggy’ would have been generous. ‘Slovenly,’ more accurate).”
He added that he wrote a line for a My Sweet Sixteen sketch Johansson starred in that night.
“The only line I remember from the sketch is when Scarlett’s bratty character says, ‘This party is literally worse than the Holocaust.’ That was my Shakespearean sonnet for the woman I would one day fall in love with,” Jost joked.
On her end, Johansson says she remembers Jost from 2010, when she hosted SNL yet again. The actress was placed in a parody of 16 and Pregnant.
“It was some dumb parody that he had written, and he was in there partly directing this segment we had to do,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “That’s my first memory of him. He seemed very confident at the time. I don’t know if he felt that way, but in that environment, if you’re not confident as a writer, your stuff just never gets produced.”
At the time, Johansson was married to Ryan Reynolds. They divorced a month later in December 2010.
Johansson went on to marry French journalist Romain Dauriac, with whom she shares a daughter named Rose. In March 2017, the former couple had split, and Johansson had filed for divorce. She was slated to host SNL for a fifth time, and Jost was also single.
Still, a source told E! at the time of her second divorce that Johansson was not ready to date.
“Scarlett just got separated from Romain and is still dealing with the fact that now she’s had two failed serious relationships,” the source said. “She’s not trying to rush into anything and is just chilling.”
In May, Johansson played Ivanka Trump in SNL’s season finale. Page Six reported that Johansson and Jost were seen together, and she was definitely noticing him.
“Scarlett and Colin were making out at the bar at the SNL season finale party at 30 Rock,” said a source. “They would make out a bit, then go back to talking. They were at the bar in front of everyone...they made out at least twice...Then they went back to talking and hanging with other people.”
A second source told E! News that they had been “hooking up” before that night as well.
“Saturday night wasn’t the first time,” the insider continued. “It’s been going on for a bit.”
They added that things were “fun and casual...They like each other, but it’s not exclusive—at least not at this point.”
The following month, they were spotted at The East Pole on New York City’s Upper East Side, seemingly having an intimate dinner.
They were seen again the next month, this time on a getaway for the Fourth of July weekend in Montauk, New York. A source speaking to Us Weekly said they were accompanied by Jost’s brother, Casey, and his sister-in-law, Lisa.
Another insider told E!, “They are still getting to know each other, but she is really into him, and it’s getting more on the exclusive level. Scarlett says he is different than many of the men she has been with. She is pretty picky who she goes out with even if it’s just dating. They share many similarities together.”
In September of that year, Jost confirmed their relationship on the Emmys red carpet, telling ET, “She’s wonderful...She’s working, so otherwise, she’d be here.”
He added, “She’s pretty cool…it’s hard to have a lot of complaints, she’s pretty awesome. I’m very happy. I feel very lucky.”
“They were holding hands as they sat across the table from each other when the server approached them,” a source told Us Weekly of seeing Jost and Johansson on a dinner date in Long Island, New York. “They sat at a bar table close to the window and were smiling and talking to each other.”
Around the holidays, the couple met one another’s families, People reported at the time.
“They’re very much in love. It’s serious,” a friend of Jost’s told the publication. “They’re both very respectful of each other’s careers and very supportive. They’re super cute together.”
A second source said, “She would go dates with Colin and be very excited after. It took awhile for them to be exclusive, but they are now. Scarlett is very happy with Colin.”
On November 30, they attended a gala at the American Museum of Natural History, making things public.
Johansson was back as Ivanka Trump at the end of 2017, and the couple embraced during the episode’s closing credits.
In April, they walked the red carpet at the Avengers: Infinity War premiere. An insider told Us Weekly, “Their eyes lit up when they looked at each other.”
During a segment on SNL’s Weekend Update in May 2018, Jost referred to his “girlfriend.”
In the setup, cast member Leslie Jones pretended to have once dated the comedy writer.
“Colin,” she began. “He was so cute and sweet and kind, but it would never work because he’s gay.”
Jost replied, “I’m not gay, I told you I have a girlfriend.”
Later that month, he took that girlfriend to the Met Gala, walking the red carpet with Johansson, who was in a gown by Marchesa.
Ahead of hosting the 70th Emmys, Jost and co-host Michael Che appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Talking about how Jost has “changed” since dating Johansson, Che said, “I feel like, you’ve changed, you don’t invite me places. And when you do, you ditch me.”
Jost responded that Che never invites him anywhere either, and Che answered, “Well, yeah, because if you’re with like Scarlett Johansson, I don’t want to tell you to come to this dive bar with me and watch a Yankee game.”
Johansson walked the Emmys red carpet with Jost in a white Balmain gown.
They attended their second gala at the American Museum Of Natural History in 2018.
Close to their two year anniversary, an insider told Us Weekly that they were living together.
“Colin is still head over heels for Scarlett,” said a second source. “He thinks she is incredible, kind, beautiful. He is beyond doting to her and loves showing her off when they’re out.”
The source added, “Scarlett loves Colin too, and they are in it for the long haul. They have talked about marriage and are fully committed to each other. Colin gets a starry-eyed look in his eyes when he talks about her...Colin is also close to Scarlett’s daughter, and they have a lot of date nights in together as a family.”
Jost walked with Johansson at the premiere of Avengers: Endgame, to which she wore custom Atelier Versace.
A publicist confirmed on May 19 to the Associated Press that the couple was engaged. A source told People at the time, “Scarlett likes Colin’s sarcasm and wit. They share a love for acerbic humor and outrage at social issues gone bad. They have much in common.”
Jost did a benefit show in the Hamptons a few months later and made a rare public reference to the engagement. Page Six reported that he opened his set with the news of his impending marriage.
“I’m getting married, and it’s such a crazy thing,” he told the attendees. “I was so scared of marriage for so long because every time I talked to someone who just got married, or was about to get married, is like, ‘Oh my God, you got to do it … What could go wrong?’ Then you talk to someone who’s been married for five years, and they’re like, ‘Don’t rush into it … you have your whole life ahead of you. Don’t have kids. They’re the worst.’ ”
That same month, at a Comic-Con panel for Black Widow, Johansson wore an 11-carat, pear-shaped diamond engagement ring, according to People.
Johansson talked about their plans for their future wedding for the first time on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, also sharing how Jost proposed.
“He killed it,” she said of his proposal. “He’s very charming and very thoughtful and romantic. But yeah, I was surprised. Even if you kind of imagine what that moment’s gonna be like, it’s still beautiful moment.”
She added, “I think, more than anything, when someone tells you they want to spend their life with you, that’s a lovely, special thing.”
That same month, Johansson was on the cover of ELLE's Women in Hollywood issue. The actress was promoting Marriage Story, a movie that focuses on the end of a marriage rather than the beginning.
“I’m certainly, obviously, very happy and fulfilled in my personal life, but I’m also a sum of many parts, and able to access different parts of my story and how I got here,” she said. “It’s all valuable.”
Johansson’s sixth time hosting Saturday Night Live came at the end of 2019. In the opening monologue, she joked, “The show is bad, what are they gonna do, fire my fiancé? Oh no, what will we do without his paycheck?”
At the end, she added, “I just want to say that this place means so much to me. I have so many friends here, and I met the love of my life here. Merry Christmas.”
During awards season, Jost accompanied Johansson to the Golden Globes, the after-party, and the SAG Awards.
For the 2020 Oscars, Johansson was nominated in the Best Actress category for Marriage Story and Supporting Actress for Jojo Rabbit. On the big night, she wore a golden Oscar de la Renta gown, with Jost wearing a tux by her side.
In an interview with Parade, Johansson shared more about her future husband.
“What you see is what you get with him,” she told the outlet. “He’s very optimistic, easygoing, funny, nice, and those are the qualities that really drew me to him.”
She also reflected on going from friendship to love.
“It’s so funny to have a long-term shared experience with someone and then the relationship changes,” she said.
But they do have one conflict: baseball.
“It’s a sore subject,” she joked. “He just told me that he’d rather see the [Boston] Red Sox win than the Yankees win. Like, what?! I said I was just going to ignore that.”
A Very Punchable Face was released on July 14, 2020, and in a profile for the New York Times, Jost said his fiancé influenced his decision to write a memoir.
“I’m about to get married. I now almost have a stepdaughter who I love and is a big part of my life now. I’m starting to do more and more outside of the show. It felt like the right time to look back,” Jost explained.
He added, “I’m a private person. I like preserving that part of my life as its own space. I like talking about anything, essentially, but that’s just one part of life that I like keeping for us.”
E! shared an excerpt that included mention of wanting kids after his marriage.
“I’ve met someone I love and who I feel more comfortable with than I ever have before," Jost wrote. “I feel more confident committing to what I’m working on and standing by whatever I create, regardless of whether people like it or not...I’ve even woken up on a Sunday after a show and thought, ‘I would love to be raising a baby right now!’ Which is a far cry from when I used to wake up on a Sunday and think, ‘Can I make it to the bathroom, or should I just puke on this plant?’”
In the acknowledgements of his book, USA Today reported that he thanked Johansson for being his “first reader and for always protecting me from my worst instincts.”
He also told the outlet that Johansson was “incredibly supportive throughout [the writing process] and encouraging...very honest with me always.”
That same month on SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show, he was asked about being overshadowed by his famous wife and said it “was definitely a worry.”
“I was always worried about anything that felt non-comedy…you have to keep your own identity and do your own thing,” he said.
When asked about her filming intimate scenes with other actors, Jost jokingly responded, “I don’t think it’s really happened that I’ve experienced it yet since we’ve been dating. I’m gonna try and push her into a lot more animated stuff. Just all voice work.”
The couple announced they were married on Oct. 29, 2020, using the Meals on Wheels Instagram account. The post was a photo of a Staten Island Ferry with the phrase, “Jost Married,” written over it.
The caption read:
“We’re thrilled to break the news that Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost were married over the weekend in an intimate ceremony with their immediate family and love ones, following COVID-19 safety precautions as directed by the CDC. Their wedding wish is to help make a difference for vulnerable older adults during this difficult time by supporting @mealsonwheelsamerica. Please consider donating to celebrate the happy couple by clicking the link in our bio.”
Like their wedding, the announcement that they had a child was also a surprise. A few days before the official post on the subject, Jost reportedly mentioned the pregnancy while performing stand-up at The Ridgefield Playhouse in Connecticut, according to People. On August 18, Jost posted a text statement reading, “Ok ok, we had a baby... His name is Cosmo.”
They added that “privacy would be greatly appreciated,” and jokingly directed all questions to their “publicist” Michael Che. In the caption, Jost wrote, “wegotawaywithitforalongtime #nokidspolicy #we’regoingtodisneyworld.”
A source People later that month, “Colin is considerate and helpful in everyday life so adding one more to the mix should be fine. The baby is the best thing ever for both of them.”
At the 35th Annual American Cinematheque Awards on November 18, Johansson was the awarded the evening’s American Cinematheque Award. On the red carpet, she told reporters that she was “in a baby bliss bubble.”
“I feel very fortunate that I’ve been able to take this time to really enjoy the early stages of my motherhood with our son,” Johansson told Entertainment Tonight. “It’s been wonderful. I’m in a ‘baby bliss bubble.’”
A week before Super Bowl LVI, Amazon released their commercial for Alexa, starring Johansson and Jost, who discover their Alexa device can read their minds. Though they should know everything about one another, Alexa soon reveals more than they want to know.
It was a commercial heavy month: Johansson launched a skincare line called The Outset, which used its founder’s gorgeous side profile in an Instagram post.
In the comment section, her husband wrote, “Is this the best way to contact you? I’m starting a similar brand called ‘Part of a Face’ and would love to use this photo. Thanks.”
In an interview with InStyle, Johansson shared that Jost was more helpful in private than public with her skincare line, and said he tried out a self-warming face mask that gave him an allergic reaction.
“He was like, ‘It’s spread, and it’s melting off my face!’” Johansson said. “He was completely freaking out.”
Later that month on The Drew Barrymore Show, Johansson got her opportunity to tease Jost, commenting on his high school bowl haircut. It would have kept her from dating him then, for sure.
“Firstly, my brother had that same haircut ... both of my brothers and I just can’t,” she said. “There’s no way. I mean, who decided on that cut as a stylish thing? What hairdresser was like, ‘I’ll try this.’”
During an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Johansson talked about how she and Jost landed on the name Cosmo, joking they “just threw a bunch of letters together.”
“It just seemed like a refreshing—it’s so charming. Our friends all liked it,” she went on.
Cosmo is also the name of a flower, just like Johansson’s daughter Rose, which Clarkson remarked on.
“They are both flowers,” Johansson said. “Not a lot of people make that connection. Cosmo is a really sweet little flower that comes in different shades of orange and yellow.”
On September 29, Jost was a guest on Late Night with Seth Meyers, who asked him if he had any fears about parenting.
“I think when you have a decent imagination, it’s worse,” Jost responded. “You don’t have rational fears, you have creative fears.”
His “number one fear” for what could happen to Cosmo was “eagles.”
“We go for walks, and I’m scanning the horizon. I’m on eagle watch,” Jost said. “And then we go for a walk, and she’s got Cosmo in the stroller, and Scarlett puts a little hat on his head that has mouse ears on the hat. And I’m like, ‘You’re dressing our baby like food.’”
On April 18, on the Goop podcast, Johansson told host Gwyneth Paltrow that she and Jost “move around the world in the same way.”
“I never realized, ‘Oh, it’s really important for me, I need to be with a compassionate person. That’s a fundamental characteristic that has to be there,’” she explained. “It worked with Colin and I because I was finally able to step back and respect myself enough to know what those [fundamental wants and needs] were.”
For the premiere of Johansson's film Asteroid City, she and Jost attended the Cannes Film Festival.
The couple did another commercial together, this time for The Outset. Johansson gave Jost a facial while they talked holiday traditions and plans for their fans.
“My favorite holiday memory is when we told our daughter that we were having our son,” the Black Widow star shared. “We did it by giving her a little ornament that was the mama bear and the papa bear and the baby bear and then there was a little arrow pointing to the mama bear’s stomach.”
Jost added, “That was very cute, but then she was so disappointed when it was a human.”
On November 30, the pair were at the 2023 American Museum Of Natural History Gala at the American Museum of Natural History.
Johansson made a brief appearance on an episode of SNL in March 2024.
The couple attended the 2024 White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, DC, on April 27. Jost was presenting.
Johansson and Jost made a rare red carpet appearance together at the New York City premiere of Fly Me to the Moon on July 8, 2024. Johansson wore a Prada two-piece set.
She spoke to Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show that same evening about how Jost ended up making a cameo in the film. “Greg Berlanti was our director…[he’s] a huge fan of Colin’s,” she said, via Us Weekly. She then quipped, “Colin...I think he had to do it ’cause it’s, like, in our prenuptial agreement,. If I ask him to do something, he has to be there to support me. He has to be in every one of my films.”
On Oct. 12, Johansson attended the Saturday Night Live after-party at Saks with Jost following Ariana Grande’s hosting episode, during which Stevie Nicks served as the musical guest. The actress was wearing an orange floral minidress under a large blazer and a pair of burgundy loafers over sheer socks. She had her hair up and held back with a white bow and wore a pair of aviator sunglasses and some red lipstick. The couple held hands and laughed as they made their way to the event.
During an appearance on Live with Kelly & Mark, Johansson revealed how she celebrated her milestone 40th birthday on November 22. The party was thrown by Jost and the actress praised her husband’s thoughtfulness.
“He’s very good at gift giving,” she shared. “He always buys beautiful jewelry. He threw me a humongous bash this year and it was a surprise and I had all the martinis for everyone. I can’t wait to see the photos so I can remember the night.”
She continued, “But it was like a ‘this is your life’ kind of... It was just incredible. So many of my friends and colleagues came from all over the place, it was magical, and he put it all together! He’s a good guy… He is a very, very, very great guy. I’m extremely lucky. He’s a kind person and he’s hilarious and thoughtful and loving and he’s a great dad and I love him. I feel very, very lucky.”
But she shared he has a “naughty side.”
She added, “He keeps it interesting.”
The hosts segued into questions about Jost and SNL alum Pete Davidson bought a decommissioned Staten Island Ferry last year.
“That's the naughty part I was talking about,” she joked. “He bought the Staten Island Ferry. A decommissioned Staten Island Ferry. And it is, yep, still decommissioned.”
It was recently used to host a show by Tommy Hilfiger.
“I was like, ‘What’s happening with this boat? It’s... got to start paying for its own docking fees at least, right?’ So this year they had the Tommy Hilfiger fashion show on the Staten Island Ferry!” she explained.
For the annual “Weekend Update” joke swap on Saturday Night Live, co-host Michael Che made Johansson the subject of a few quips. The actress appeared on screen while Jost was forced to read Che’s words.
“I want to dedicate this next joke to my boo, Scarlett Johansson,” Jost said, laughing.
The camera showed that Johansson was watching backstage and shaking her head in horror.
“No, oh no,” Jost joked. “She’s so genuinely worried. … Hey, boo. Y’all know Scarlett just celebrated her 40th birthday, which means I’m about to get up out of there.”
They started laughing simultaneously, with her asking, “Oh, my gosh. Why?”
Jost continued, “Nah, nah, I’m just playing. We just had a kid together and y’all ain’t see no pictures of him yet ‘cause he black as hell. Shit, I ain’t afraid of you mofos.”
Jost them read, “Costco has removed the roast beef sandwich from its menu. But I ain’t trippin’. I've been eating roast beef every night since my wife had the kid.”
Johansson exclaimed, “Oh my God!”
“No, no, I’m just playing, baby,” Colin continued. “You know I don't go downtown.”
On February 16, Saturday Night Live celebrated its 50th season with a three-hour live event, SNL50, including cast alumni, former hosts, and a huge array of musical guests and surprise appearances. Jost was a key part of the festivities and Johansson was by his side, of course. The couple looked glamorous on the red carpet in matching black, with the actress wearing a Prada dress covered in rhinestone details across the bust.
She also appeared briefly in a sketch during the show, John Mulaney’s “New York Musical.”
On May 17, Johansson hosted Saturday Night Live again. At the end of the show, she joined her castmates for the closing credits and Jost ran out to hand her a bouquet of roses and share a kiss. The rest of the cast reacted with exaggerated disgust.
They joked earlier in the week about sharing a kiss in the episode’s promo.
“Hey, babe. I had a sketch idea I wanted to pitch you. Maybe it’s one where we, I don’t know, finally kiss?” Jost asked.
Johansson screamed, “No!”
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