Greta Gerwig worried about ‘disrespecting cinema’ with Lady Bird

Greta Gerwig was scared about “disrespecting cinema” while working on Lady Bird.

The 34-year-old has won critics over with her latest directorial effort, a tale about a rebellious teenager, played by Saoirse Ronan.

It’s already landed several awards, with Saoirse also receiving rave reviews for her performance as the title character, but Greta couldn’t help questioning her ability while making the movie.

“I was incredibly nervous,” she admitted to Empire magazine. “I had some sense of not wanting to disrespect the form, which is ridiculous. Cinema has no feelings about itself. But I felt like it has given me so much, I didn’t want to mar it. I wanted to contribute another brick in this cathedral.”

Although the movie has been described as semi-autobiographical, Greta insists details were altered, and “nothing is how it happened”.

The filmmaker and writer is an acclaimed actress too, with big roles in everything from Jackie to 20th Century Women.

However, she feels more of an affinity being behind the camera, as Greta noted: “If someone put a gun to my head and said make a choice, I would write and direct over performing. I don’t mean this in a self-important way, but I also feel it’s where I am needed more. I feel we need more female writer-directors. But I love acting and I think it connects me with a playfulness, and connects me with what I am asking people to do for me. I don’t want to lose that.”

As for whether she’d helm a big studio movie rather than an indie project, Greta said if she could do things her own way, she’d “certainly” be open to it, citing Christopher Nolan and Guillermo del Toro as two directors’ work she admires.