Scarlett Johansson has made her directorial debut, stepping behind the camera to direct the music video "Hurry Hurry" for songstress Jessie Baylin.

Johansson and Baylin, who’s married to Kings of Leon drummer Nathan Followill, are longtime friends.

"One of the greatest gifts of growing up with Jessie has been watching her develop as a musician," Johansson said, explaining why she decided to direct the video for her pal.

The video is a continuous shot of Baylin walking across the Manhattan Bridge, with the New York skyline and Brooklyn Bridge in the distance. The colors of the video are subdued, as it was shot on an overcast day, and the bridge is wet with rain. As Baylin walks back and forth, the camera follows her, sometimes capturing her face and sometimes recording her back.

This is not Johansson's first foray into music videos. She famously appeared in the sexy video for Justin Timberlake's "What Goes Around Comes Around" in 2007. The star released her debut album, "Anywhere I Lay My Head," in 2008 for which she also shot a video.

There's an element of "attitude" Scarlett Johansson brings with her when entering a room. Within seconds it becomes apparent that this 27-year-old movie star is no pushover.

"I'm so glad I was raised in New York," she says, gesturing towards the hotel window which looks on to Central Park. "The city is a huge part of who I am. Free thinking, volatile and spiritual." It seems her favourite city is one of the only places Johansson is free to roam the streets without fuss. "Oh, people don't bother me at all. New Yorkers aren't like that. They might recognise me, but they'll be like, 'Whatever,"' she says, feigning boredom at the notion a famous actress is in the immediate vicinity.

Johansson is arguably one of Hollywood's best actresses in her age range. A marquee name and at the same time, critically acclaimed, she has appeared in movies such as Vicky Cristina Barcelona, The Other Boleyn Girl, and more recently, Iron Man 2. Immensely alluring, fellow Manhattanite Woody Allen, who directed her in Match Point, and Scoop, famously described her beauty as "sexually overwhelming".

It's interesting, then, that director Cameron Crowe, with whom she worked in her latest movie, We Bought A Zoo (based on the best-selling novel), didn't make the most of her natural assets.

The actress/model whose name appears atop many "Sexiest" lists and stars in such high-glamour advertising campaigns as Louis Vuitton, Calvin Klein, and L'Oreal, would not be the go-to choice to play a head zookeeper.

Worlds away from her usual body-hugging ensembles, such as in the upcoming superhero epic, The Avengers, in which she reprises her Iron Man 2 role as Black Widow, she says of her sensible attire in Zoo, "Cameron calls it my Jane Goodall look," she laughs. "I have to tell you, filming a role as a zookeeper was a lot better than wearing that latex bodysuit."

Eating a chocolate chip cookie, she says, "I've been auditioning for Cameron for about 10 years and every work session that we've ever done has always been some of the most rewarding for me creatively. When I read the script, I didn't really know what I could contribute to the part, but I met with Cameron and I just wanted the opportunity to work with him, and to develop the character with him more than anything," she says.

Based on Benjamin Mee's memoir, We Bought a Zoo: The Amazing True Story of a Broken-Down Zoo and the 200 Animals that changed a Family Forever, is about a journalist (Matt Damon) who re-opens a rundown zoo after his wife's death. Johansson plays the woman who helps him pick up the pieces.

Although Mee is British and lives in the UK, the story was moved to California, and was filmed around LA.

People might be surprised to hear Johansson, widely regarded as a "femme fatale" type, is animal friendly. "Are you kidding? I've always had animals, ever since I was a kid. I had reptiles and cats. I currently have a dog and horses and so I'm used to being around animals a lot. I felt like that zoo was kind of mine. Those are my tigers and those are my zebras and those are my camels," she smiles.

As a celebrity, perhaps she has an inkling of what it's like to be a caged animal and object of fascination?

"Yes, there's certainly a freak show aspect when you're recognised and it's a strange adjustment. I don't know if I'll ever have it worked out and people take for granted their anonymity until they don't have it. But I don't want to sit here and complain. That's just annoying to hear an actor do that," she says.

However, with her recent divorce from actor Ryan Reynolds (they were married from 2008 to 2010), and subsequent fling with Sean Penn, she hasn't had an easy time of late.

"There's an invasion of privacy that can come to a boiling point because information is so readily available," she offers.

Famously private about her personal life, it was surprising that she told the US television programme Access Hollywood that she had "no regrets" about her failed marriage. When gently prodding her about those comments, she retorts, "I already talked about it."

Of Polish/Danish descent, Johansson's father is an architect, and her mother, Bronx-bred Melanie Sloan, a former school teacher. Although Johansson's parents are both atheists, she was brought up celebrating both Christian and Jewish holidays. Her parents separated when she was 13. She and her siblings - a twin brother, an older sister, an older brother and half-brother were raised primarily by their mother.

Back in 1998 when she was cast in Robert Redford's The Horse Whisperer, she was a typically sullen 14-year-old teenager, with a whiff of defensiveness. "I've always been told I'm an old soul," she said back then. "I've been told I'm 14 going on 40, but I think it's a result of growing up in New York City. There's a cultural awareness there that I've been able to take advantage of."

Several years and numerous starring roles later, in movies including Lost In Translation and Girl With A Pearl Earring - both garnered best actress nominations at the Golden Globes - she became the anti-Lindsay Lohan archetype, and steered clear of any kind of hard-partying habits. "That life is not anything I've ever been interested in. I work really hard. I'm pretty low-key and I don't make a big scene everywhere I go."

She was, and continues to come across as a very serious and thoughtful young woman. She's aware of life outside the bubble of movie stardom.

A staunch Democrat, she campaigned for John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election, and was an avid supporter of President Obama. Now, in view of his waning popularity, she says, "He was given a really crappy hand. When he took on everything that he took on, it was never going to be a one-trick solution. And that was part of his platform. He said, 'I'm in it for the long haul."'

There's been talk of late that Hollywood may not campaign for him quite as ardently as in 2008. "Well, I think it would be irresponsible not to, especially when looking at what we're up against. I mean Michele Bachman, are you kidding?" she says, with a direct gaze. "I watched the highlights of the Republican debate. That was a freak-show. We cannot allow any of those candidates to take office. That would be a disaster of epic proportion," she says.

She doesn't seem taken by flights of fancy and appears to have a practical head on her shoulders. "I'm not sure what my hopes are for the future. I haven't figured it out yet. Ask me in 10 years and I might have a better idea."

It’s doubtful you'll ever find a zookeeper as attractive as Scarlett Johansson, but when the actress goes head to head with the beasts in We Bought a Zoo, you begin to believe she can tame lions with the best of them.
We Bought a Zoo movie review: Yes, Matt Damon, we'd clean animals for you! >>

"We'd be standing there at 6 a.m. every morning staring at three tigers and they’d be staring back at us and we're like, 'This is crazy,'" Scarlett told SheKnows. "It was quite surreal."

Scarlett plays Kelly Foster in the flick, head zookeeper and love interest of Matt Damon who plays a widowed dad. Like her character in the movie, Scarlett says she was quite swept away by Matt's charm.

"He's incredible, generous, warm, sort of mischievous and boyishly charming," Scarlett told us. "He's just everything you could want in a scene partner. Matt is a beast."

In the film, Scarlett's character is absolutely consumed with her animals, preventing much time for a social life. We asked Scarlett if she has the same problem as a top actress.

"There's always time for a social life," said Scarlett. "I love to hang out with my friends and go out and see music and movies. I have to make time for that, otherwise I'd lose my mind."

Scarlett, whose divorce from actor Ryan Reynolds was just finalized this July, noticeably didn’t mention a relationship as a top priority. Still, the actress says she would like to settle down again one day.

"I'd like to have a couple little ones running around," Scarlett told SheKnows. "No time soon, but eventually it would be nice to have a family."

Catch Scarlett Johansson and the rest of her We Bought a Zoo co-stars (even the furry ones) in theaters today!

The 27-year old actress admitted that she always makes an effort with her appearance even when she's off duty as she doesn't know who she might meet.

"I always like to put a little bit of make-up on. I'm not the kind of person that just slops around in sweatpants. I like to feel a little more together - you never know who you're going to see out there!" Contactmusic quoted her as saying.

"My absolute must-have is a really rich and vibrant red lipstick. I always keep red lipstick in my bag because I never know when I might show up to an event and be completely underdressed. I feel like red lipstick is the cure-all for everything," she said.

Johansson also revealed, to style.com that she has regular honey facials to keep her skin in good condition.

"I use Manuka honey. You just warm your face so that your pores are open (you can steam your face right after getting out of the shower), and then you just take a spoon and apply the honey directly to your face and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes.

"It really adds an amazing glow and your skin is so soft afterwards. It pulls out the impurities," she added.