Scarlett Johansson Restraining Order Request Dismissed

Scarlett Johansson‘s battle against a persistent stalker continues on an unfavorable note for the famous actress with the dismissal of her restraining order request.

The Blast recently obtained court documents detailing the sad news that may have left a bitter taste in the Marvel star’s mouth. She alleges that she has been harassed for over a year by the obsessed fan, who believes he fathered one of her two children.

According to the legal filing, the Superior Court of California was forced to dismiss Johansson’s plea for protection because the papers had not reached her alleged stalker.

Her attorney, Michael Goldstein, confirmed he had been unable to serve the culprit. Therefore, his client’s request for a restraining order was dismissed on this technicality, and all temporary restraining orders, if any, were also dissolved.

This heartbreaking development comes five months after the “Black Widow” star filed the restraining order petition in November 2023. At the time, she explained that she and her family, especially her children, needed protection from a man named Michael Joseph Branham.

Johansson stressed that Branham had harassed her since August 2022, and his obsession with her had not diminished by the time she filed the restraining order request.

In her recollection of Branham’s alleged provocations, Johansson claimed he commenced a pattern of harassment against her that saw him outside her residence on “November 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19.”

On November 19, 2023, Branham followed one of the TV personality’s neighbors, believing it was her, for over 30 miles, and contacted them once they reached their destination. The incident terrified her neighbor, and they reported it to her assistant.

Johansson stressed that this event caused her “significant fear and concern” for her safety and that of her family. She continued:

“Respondent’s ongoing and escalating pattern of harassment combined with his determination and ability to travel has created heightened safety concerns given several upcoming public events that I will be attending.”

According to the documents, Johansson hired a private investigator, Jon Perkins, following Branham’s first appearance in August 2022.

At the time, the obsessed fan left several suspicious articles at the front gate of the actress’s residence, including several notes and a child’s toy.

In his recollection, the private investigator explained that Branham had uploaded a picture of himself posing in front of Johansson’s home alongside the ominous words: “Here I am and where I’ll be forever.”

Alas, the terrifying situation didn’t end there, as the messages he left behind revealed his dark intentions. According to Perkins, in the notes, the obsessed fan expressed his desire to visit Johansson and her son, Cosmo, whom he believed he fathered.

Aside from implying he had a parental relationship with the actress’s son, Branham claimed she needed to cater to his financial needs. He explained that he had resorted to stealing due to lack of funds and asked for Johansson’s forgiveness.

Despite the stalker’s delusions, Johansson welcomed her son with her husband, Colin Jost, in late 2021. The Blast previously shared how the actress and her beau came up with the toddler’s unique name, Cosmo.

The “Avengers” star dished on their naming process during a 2022 appearance on “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” She explained that the pair miraculously arrived at the unique moniker after throwing “a bunch of letters together.”

“I just thought it was so charming, and our friends all liked it,” Johansson raved. While everyone seemed to love the name, her mother-in-law, however, was against the moniker and persistently tried to change the couple’s minds.

“Colin’s mom had a bit of a harder time with it,” the TV personality recalled. “She kept suggesting other versions of it, and I’m like, ‘No, he’s already here, he’s out.'”

As reported by The Blast, Johansson opened up about her journey down the aisle during a heart-to-heart conversation on Gwyneth Paltrow’s “Goop” podcast. In the April 2023 episode, the entertainer addressed why her past relationships had failed.

Before saying her vows to Jost, she tied the knot to Ryan Reynolds in 2008 and then Romain Dauriac in 2014. She welcomed her daughter, Rose, with the latter before their divorce in 2017.

Reflecting on her past, Johansson noted that she never understood what she wanted from her partners. In her words:

“I never realized, ‘Oh, it’s essential for me; I need to be with a compassionate person. That’s a fundamental characteristic that has to be there.'”

“And I think that understanding what those fundamental things are that you need in a partner is a must,” she continued, adding, “I think — for longevity, anyway. I think identifying those things was a game-changer for me.”