After appearing in minor roles in Fall and Home Alone 3 (both 1997), Johansson attracted wider attention for her performance in the film The Horse Whisperer (1998), directed by Robert Redford.
Efter at have medvirket i mindre roller i Fall og Home Alone 3 i 1997, fik Johansson udbredt opmærksomhed for sin præstation i 1998 i filmen Hestehviskeren, instrueret af Robert Redford.