Greta Gerwig

Greta Gerwig is an American actress, director, and screenwriter, born on August 4, 1983. She is best known for her work in independent cinema, particularly in the fields of writing and directing, where she has gained significant recognition for her unique and refreshing approach to storytelling.

Gerwig began her career as an actress, often appearing in indie films and collaborating with directors like Noah Baumbach and Joe Swanberg. She became a prominent figure in the "mumblecore" movement, a genre of low-budget films known for their naturalistic dialogue and character-driven narratives. Her acting credits include films such as Frances Ha (2012) and Greenberg (2010).

However, Gerwig’s most significant contributions have come as a director and screenwriter. She made her directorial debut with Lady Bird (2017), a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age film that was widely praised for its sharp, witty dialogue and emotional depth. Lady Bird was a critical and commercial success, earning multiple Academy Award nominations, including Best Director for Gerwig, making her one of the few women ever nominated in that category.

In addition to Lady Bird, Gerwig directed the live-action adaptation of Little Women (2019), which was also met with critical acclaim and garnered several Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Gerwig is recognized not only for her work in front of the camera but also for her ability to craft stories that resonate with a wide audience. She has become one of the most influential voices in contemporary American cinema.

Articles by the author

I always feel like a vague failure in L.A. - it always makes me feel like I should somehow be different than I am. And I don't know why.

Greta Gerwig

I feel like every year there's a thing about 'not enough roles for ladies!' and, then, also an article, like 'The Year of The Woman.' I think that we all just know in our hearts they're underrepresented. But that doesn't mean that there aren't amazing moments.

Greta Gerwig

Writing on my own versus co-writing kind of is the exact same thing because we don't sit in the same room when we write. We're always writing alone anyway.

Greta Gerwig

In terms of sheer pleasure, Tom Stoppard was very big for me because he is so funny and so smart, and it felt delicious reading him.

Greta Gerwig

I had dreams, but I didn't have the sense that they would necessarily work out. They seemed very far-fetched.

Greta Gerwig

I was serious about ballet for a long time, but my mom got me into tap and jazz and modern and hip-hop, and I was one of those over-lessoned children.

Greta Gerwig

I'm, like, the only actor in New York who's never, ever been on any 'Law & Order.' And I've auditioned for so many. The sad thing is I love 'Law & Order.' I'm really obsessed with it. And they always said to me, 'You seem like you're making fun of the material.'

Greta Gerwig

I'm really interested in trying to tell stories about women that don't involve romantic components. That's so much a part of the way we feel about female characters and their needs that it feels like it's built in - but I'd like to find a way that it's not. There are so many more stories than that.

Greta Gerwig

There are a lot of love stories in 'Maggie's Plan,' but the deepest, truly romantic one is between Maggie and her daughter.

Greta Gerwig

I just don't feel like I've seen very many movies about 17-year-old girls where the question is not, 'Will she find the right guy' or 'Will he find her?' The question should be, 'Is she going to occupy her personhood?' Because I think we're very unused to seeing female characters, particularly young female characters, as people.

Greta Gerwig

Making movies is a hard thing, and it's slow. So you can glorify the product, but the process is difficult no matter who you are.

Greta Gerwig

I thought movies were handed down by God. I knew that theater was made by people because I saw the people in front of me, but movies seemed like they were delivered, wholly made, from Zeus's head or something.

Greta Gerwig

I think I've always wanted to direct, but I didn't go to film school. I was lucky enough to work in movies, and I think those became my film school in terms of acting and watching directors work and also writing and co-writing and producing.

Greta Gerwig

There's a grace period where being a mess is charming and interesting, and then I think when you hit around 27, it stops being charming and interesting, and it starts being kind of pathological, and you have to find a new way of life. Otherwise, you're going to be in a place where the rest of your peers have been moving on, and you're stuck.

Greta Gerwig

I wouldn't call myself 'into the DJ scene.' I have friends who are DJs, like James Murphy. I was really into the DJ scene at his wedding. But generally, I'm not at the clubs. I've never been to a rave.

Greta Gerwig

I don't know any woman who has a simple relationship with their mother or with their daughter.

Greta Gerwig