The Nanny Diaries Turns 15
Where my Nanny Diaries fans at? This is one of those magical movies that a ton of people were in before they went on to become mega-famous. And today it turns 15.
What I get the biggest kick out of is that it stars both Black Widow and Captain America—aka Scarlett Johansson and Chris Evans, whose characters had a cute brother-sister-type relationship in The Avengers franchise. But back in 2007, they were love interests.
The movie was based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus that—while fictional—was inspired on the authors’ combined real-world experience nannying to rich families in Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
In the adaptation, Johansson plays the title character: recent college grad Annie who becomes the nanny for the wealthy Mr. X (Paul Giamatti) and Mrs. X’s (Laura Linney) young son. Evans plays the “Harvard Hottie” who lives in the X’s building. Alicia Keys is also in the mix as Annie’s friends.
While the novel was a bit darker, had a different ending and also spawned a sequel (“Nanny Returns”), the film version kept things lighter and remains a one-and-done … though how amazing would it be if the original cast did return for a sequel? DARE TO DREAM!!!
But as we all know, that’s unlikely to happen. The directors, Shari Springer Berman
and Robert Pulcini, who earned a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar nomination for 2003’s American Splendor—which also starred Giamatti—have since moved on to mostly TV work. In the past 4 years they’ve directed episodes of popular series such as Shameless, Succession, Night Sky and WeCrashed.
Giamatti has racked up an Oscar nom (Best Supporting Actor for Cinderella Man) an Emmy and several other awards, and since 2016 can be found starring in Showtime’s Billions. Linney (who co-starred with Giamatti in the HBO miniseries John Adams as well) has THREE Oscar noms (for You Can Count on Me, Kinsey and The Savages) and 4 Emmy wins, with possibly more on the horizon now that the critically acclaimed Ozark will be in the running for its final season. Alicia Keys became a global musical phenomenon … but pretty much already was back in 2007 as well.
And then I don’t think I need to tell you how Evans’ and Johansson’s careers have gone since The Nanny Diaries. They’re now two of the top-paid stars in Hollywood, and Johansson is actually the highest-grossing movie star ever. As in, of all actors and actresses, of all time. The funny this is that both can only be heard in their most recent films: Evans as the title character in (Buzz) Lightyear, and Scarlett reprising her role as the rockin’ porcupine Ash in Sing 2.
So I can think of no better way to celebrate the 15th anniversary of The Nanny Diaries than by simply watching the movie again and enjoying those innocent days of 2007 before superstardom found its cast!