Johansson: 'Flattered' To Be Deemed Sexy

Scarlett Johansson is one of Hollywood's hottest actresses. Her latest Woody Allen film, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," opens Friday, and it's the third time the 23-year-old has worked with the iconic director. Johansson also just got engaged to actor Ryan Reynolds. Another passion -- politics. She's campaigning for Barack Obama in her "spare" time. Bill Whitaker sat down with her for The Early Show.

"Vicky Cristina Barcelona" is her third movie with director Woody Allen and, unlike the dramas "Scoop" and "Match Point," this new collaboration is a romantic comedy.

"We almost have a shorthand between us at this point, you know, kind of silent communication, I guess," she told Whitaker.

This time, she plays an American tourist looking for love on a trip to Barcelona. She finds, and redefines romance with Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz.

Shooting on location with Allen and two of Spain's hottest international stars drew thousands of fans to the streets, flooding Web sites such as YouTube with amateur videos.

"Every day," Johansson says, "was a big deal. You know, everybody would come and find our set and crowd around and chant and hold up signs … and it was nuts. ... It was crazy. Woody is really... he's a huge icon there, and they have a statue of him in a city there called Oviedo. ... It's so funny; it looks exactly like him; it's amazing!"

The collaboration between the 72-year-old director and 23-year-old actress has been so successful, film critics have dubbed her Allen's "muse"

"When you get up in the morning and it's seven o'clock and you go to the set and you walk in and you see Scarlett Johansson and Penelope, and you work with them, what am I gonna go back to New York for?" Allen reflected.

"We've spoken about it before," Johansson says, "and I've always thought, 'Gosh, I could just imagine Woody sitting there with, like, a bowl of lo-mein at three a-m thinking, "Hmm, what would Scarlett be doing now?!" ' at the typewriter, clacking away."

Her sense of humor extends to her sex appeal, Whitaker notes. Comparisons to the likes of Marilyn Monroe prompted a parody on "Saturday Night Live."

"What is it like to see yourself touted as one of the sexiest women on earth?" Whitaker asked.

"It's just such a shame, it's a crime, it makes me feel awful," Johansson kidded.

"Umm, no, it's very flattering, of course; you know, it means I have to upkeep a little bit, a little bit of extra upkeep," she said, patting under her chin.

"Is there anything along the way that prepares you for, not just the acting, but for celebrity?" Whitaker wanted to know.

"I'm still trying to figure that out myself," Johansson responded. ... "The whole sort of shock and horror of having people poke around your personal life and kind of take your private moments and stuff like that... I think it's so… It just feels so awful. I can't imagine what could prepare one for that."

Johansson doesn't discuss her engagement to actor Ryan Reynolds, but she WILL talk about another passion -- politics.

As a teenager, she campaigned for John Kerry.

She recently sang on a pro-Barrack Obama music video, "Yes We Can."

Her twin brother works for the Obama campaign and introduced her to the senator years ago.

And a recent e-mail exchange with Obama caught the press' attention.

Where does she feel more comfortable, on the red carpet or at a political rally?

"Oh, gosh," Johansson chuckled, "well, you know, the red carpet is so uncomfortable, um, that, I would say that I would be much more comfortable in a political rally. ... At least then you can shout, you can scream... everybody can... the spotlight's never on me at a political rally."

Up for Johansson: the film version of the best-selling book, "He's Just Not That Into You."