Greta Gerwig, director of Ladybird and Little Women (2019), is the face of what it means to be a woman in entertainment, and she is also the superhero of my reality. Greta Gerwig is such a voice to redefining gender norms and being a woman in a male-dominated world. She not only expresses herself through her films, but her personality shines through with every interview and press tour.
My obsession with Greta Gerwig began just after watching Ladybird for the first time. I’m not sure if it was because of the phase in my life at the time I watched it or because of just how powerful (yet subtle) the movie is, but it impacted me so deeply in every conceivable way to where I have never held another movie on a higher pedestal since. Ladybird, starring Saoirse Ronan, was both written and directed by Gerwig. What made my connection to Ladybird so strong was how honest it was. In short, it is about the trials and tribulations an average teen girl in high school faces. Themes of family, friends, and self-acceptance are all present and it all feels very personal. It has such a strong voice as a whole that makes every scene just feel like it is talking directly to you. Now, three years later, I have seen the movie about 11 times and it still holds the same impact.
Then, sometime over the summer of 2019, I got word of the Little Women remake starring Saoirse Ronan, Timothee Chalamet, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson and more. I was first hooked by the fact that Ronan and Chalamet were cast together again after Ladybird because their on- and off-screen chemistry is simply undeniable. I had my suspicions that Greta Gerwig was directing the film and they were soon confirmed by a tweet from Chalamet. Then after watching it in December, I had that same feeling of just my heart being broken and completely put back together all within a 2 hour and 15-minute span. Although it is a story that has been told since the 1800s, it felt, yet again, very personal and present. The theme of breaking through conventional societal norms of a woman is most present with character Jo March (played by Ronan). In an interview with Vogue, Gerwig explained her deep connection with Jo March and it is no surprise why based on the life she leads as a female writer who has not conformed to the idea of marriage and a woman’s role in society.
Aside from her films, of which I could talk about endlessly, I am also fascinated with her life. Being a female director in 2020 may not seem revolutionary, however, the film industry still has a long way to go in crediting women directors on the same level of prestige as men. This past Oscars, Little Women was nominated for Best Picture however Gerwig was not even nominated for Best Director. Not only does Gerwig direct, but she also writes the screenplay for her films in such an impactful and signature way. Her aesthetic is clear, and it is no surprise she reused Ronan and Chalamet because she writes their characters (as well as others) with such emotion and authenticity.
Greta Gerwig is also dating Noah Baumbach, director of the recent film, Marriage Story. I say dating as if it is a recent fling, however, they have been in a committed relationship for seven years. Gerwig, not conforming to gender norms, is not married to Baumbach nor has mentioned the future possibility of it. She has even recently had a son, Harold, with Baumbach this past year. Keeping the pregnancy under wraps by directing Little Women pregnant without anyone (not even the cast and crew) knowing. Gerwig, at the risk of sounding cliché, is an absolute boss. Recently on the cover of Vogue’s January 2020 issue, she discusses her life as a mother and the creative process of her filmmaking experience.
As mentioned on the January 2020 cover of Vogue, Greta Gerwig is “Hollywood’s New Heroine.” Whether you are someone in the entertainment industry or not, Gerwig stands for so much more. She is a fearless woman in a male-dominated industry and has proven herself, her talent and her drive with everything she does. With every interview or award show, she is just Greta. She has triumphed in the face of adversity and has proven to women everywhere and in every field that they are capable and have great worth.
Want to see more HCFSU? Be sure to like us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest!