Did You Know Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” Was Inspired by a Famous Actress?

Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” was all the rage back in the late ’00s. It helped the American Idol judge start out like she could hold out: a little raunchy and a whole lot of daring.

The insatiably catchy song appeared on Perry’s second studio album, One of the Boys. Though Perry has shared equally, if not bigger, songs since 2008, it still remains one of her signatures. It’s the very essence of what set Perry apart from her peers from the very beginning of her career.Despite Perry declaring in the lyrics that she did in fact kiss a girl and, moreover, liked it, the song was actually inspired by a hypothetical situation between Perry and a famous actress.

Which girl did Katy Perry kiss?

As it turns out, this song is not a melodic retelling of a night out that caused Perry to lose her “discretion.” Instead, it stems from a quiet night on the couch flipping through magazines with her then-boyfriend.

While flipping through the pages, Perry came across Scarlett Johansson. The Black Widow actress inspired feelings inside Perry – feelings that she hoped her boyfriend was okay with.“‘I Kissed a Girl’ was inspired when I opened up a magazine and I saw a picture of Scarlett Johansson,” Perry once told Steppin’ Out Magazine (quote via NME). “I was with my boyfriend at the time, and I said to him, ‘I’m not going to lie: If Scarlett Johansson walked into the room and wanted to make out with me, I would make out with her. I hope you’re okay with that?’”At the time of the song’s release, Johansson was married to fellow actor Ryan Reynolds. Upon learning about the song she addressed her relationship. “That’s flattering, but my lips are kind of taken,” Johansson said at the time. “I had no idea [about the song]. I should get a cut!”Famous actresses aside, the song remains an important one in the Perry timeline. The singer/songwriter grew up religious and, as a result, didn’t feel like she had the opportunity to express her sexuality in the way she does in “I Kissed a Girl.”

“A lot of the world seemed curious to sing along to it,” Perry once explained. She went on to say that she attempted to “pray the gay away” when she was younger. “I Kissed a Girl” became a source of freedom for Perry by allowing her to explore the gray areas of attraction.