Scarlett Johansson Is Seriously Coming Out with an Album of Tom Waits Covers

A part of me wanted to believe she was joking about that, but, if it’s a joke, she’s still running with it.

She’s been doing promotion for The Nanny Diaries, and recently did an interview with the AP about her upcoming projects. Says Scarlett:

I’ve always been a huge fan of Tom Waits and I had this kind of golden opportunity to make an album however I wanted and it’s kind of a dream chance. … Originally I thought that I would do an album of standards and I wanted to include a Tom Waits song. And I don’t know, I thought maybe everybody does standards, and so, I see Tom Waits as being kind of a composer of modern standards and so it seemed appropriate that I could interpret his songs. Obviously, it’s not an album where I’m trying to sound like him. It would be impossible. He writes such beautiful songs and incredible melodies and they’re so cinematic and kind of open-ended so I felt like it would be something that I could be inspired by.

She was asked if she considered herself Woody Allen’s new muse, and responded with:

We both kind of think that term is so bizarre. You know, it’s not like I come bring him inspiration when he’s got writer’s block at 3 in the morning. We like to work together. It’s an easy working relationship and a really nice friendship, so it works out. But I don’t know if it goes much further than that.

And as to whether or not the 22-year-old will continue to avoid DUIs and jail time:

I don’t think necessarily that there’s trouble looming around the corner for everyone involved in this industry. … I have a really wonderful family that’s very supportive. Luckily I never really struggled with any kind of, I don’t know, image problems or addictions. You know, I think it’s not just people in Hollywood … It’s kind of part of just growing up and growing up in the world that we live in today where everything is so available and so fast-paced. It’s hard I think for a lot of youths to avoid these pitfalls. Obviously the availability of whatever it may be, whether it’s drugs or alcohol or partying or whatever, is dangerous for people who are prone to addiction or that kind of lifestyle. I’m just fortunate enough to never have had that inclination. I guess I attribute that to my parents and friends and the way I was raised.