Hollywood star Scarlett Johansson thinks childhood stardom can be a "dangerous thing".

The 40-year-old actress, who made her film debut in 1994 in fantasy comedy North, believes she was "very lucky" to come through childhood stardom unscathed.

"Making decisions on your own - like adult decisions when you're a kid - that's dangerous, isn't it?" she told Vanity Fair magazine.

The Hollywood actress has seen other child stars struggle to cope with the pressures of fame and success.

But Scarlett is grateful that she's "avoided a lot of that."

"I've been through that and I've been very lucky to have avoided a lot of that," she said.

Scarlett starred alongside Bill Murray in Lost in Translation, the 2003 comedy drama, and now credits the film as a turning point in her career.

"After Lost in Translation, every role I was offered for years was the 'girlfriend', the 'other woman', the sex object - I couldn't get out of that cycle. I felt like, "Oh, I guess that's my identity as an actor." I couldn't do much with that," the star explained.

Johansson recalls feeling uncomfortable with the way she was portrayed at the time.

"You discover your sexuality and attractiveness - and it's exciting to blossom as a person. You dress the way you want, you express yourself, and then suddenly you turn around and say, 'Wait a minute, I feel like I'm being...' - I don't want to say 'exploited' because that's too strong a word. That term is so heavy, but yes, it was a kind of exploitation," she recounted.

Meanwhile, Scarlett has previously thanked her family for helping her navigate the potential pitfalls of child fame.

The actress noted that her parents put strict "boundaries" in place during her younger years and that helped her remain stable despite the pressures of fame and success.

"Your parents have to set boundaries, hold you accountable and keep you away from weird people. I was lucky to have that," Johansson said. | BGNES