Trivia

Wrote in detail about the 42 takes she did of one 28-second scene in Frances Ha (2012) in a N.Y. Times Magazine article titled 'I Know I'm Doing the Scene Badly, But I Can't Figure Out How to Do It Well' [May 2013].

Her real-life parents, Gordon Gerwig and Christine Gerwig, portrayed the parents to her character in Frances Ha (2012). Her father declared that he was reluctant to do it, even though he doesn't have any lines, as he believed the role should be given to a professional actor.

Never officially attended film school, instead learning everything she could about filmmaking from on-set observations as an actress and writer.

Studied philosophy at Barnard College.

Has been in a relationship with Noah Baumbach since 2011. On March 19, 2019, it was announced they had welcomed a son, Harold.

Grew up in a household without television.

When she's directing, Greta forbids all cellphones on set.

Close friend of Adam Driver.

She said that in the wake of the newly covered allegations of sexual misconduct by Woody Allen against his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow that she will never work with Allen again.

Directed 5 actors in Oscar-nominated performances: Saoirse Ronan (twice), Laurie Metcalf, Florence Pugh, Ryan Gosling and America Ferrera.

Grew up in Sacramento, California.

Is very receptive to improvisation from her actors as long as the established dialogue informs the characterization. She prefers not to rewrite her dialogue.

Went to Barnard College, where she majored in philosophy, wrote plays and was co-founder of an improv group called "The Tea Party Ensemble".

Is an avid fan of fellow Sacramento author Joan Didion.

In February 2014, it was announced that she would star, produce and occasionally write in the planned spin-off to How I Met Your Mother (2005). This created an outburst in the "blogosphere", as several fans and writers claimed that Gerwig was failing her indie roots. One writer compared the rage among fans to be "like when Nirvana signed to Geffen Records".

While attending St. Francis Catholic High School (Sacramento), Greta participated in such shows as "Into the Woods," "The Boy Friend," "Pippin" and "The Apple Tree" before graduating in 2002.

Having had aspirations to be a ballet dancer as a young girl, Greta's notion of royalty has always been the ballet greats like Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gelsey Kirkland.

Counts Barry Jenkins' Moonlight (2016) as a major influence.

Is a fan of the Alan Partridge character played by Steve Coogan.

One major Hollywood stylist has described Gerwig as a "modern Catherine Deneuve" because of her fashionable look and sensibility.

Favorite sex scene in film was between Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie in Don't Look Now (1973). Favorite romantic scene occurred in David Lean's Brief Encounter (1945) between Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson.

Member of the 'Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' (AMPAS) since 2016.

She has German, Irish, English, and Cornish ancestry. One of her paternal great-grandmothers, Amelia Issac Rogers, was born in Brazil, to parents from Cornwall.

Had she been nominated for Best Director in 2020, (for Little Women) she would have been the first woman in Academy Awards history to be nominated twice.

Attended New York's Barnard College (Columbia University).

Gerwig, Oscar-nominated for her directorial debut, joins the rank of other such distinguished artists similarly recognized, namely: Orson Welles (Citizen Kane (1941)), Delbert Mann (Marty (1955)), Sidney Lumet (12 Angry Men (1957)), Jack Clayton (Room at the Top (1958)), Mike Nichols (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)), Warren Beatty & Buck Henry (Heaven Can Wait (1978)), Robert Redford (Ordinary People (1980)), Hugh Hudson (Chariots of Fire (1981)), James L. Brooks (Terms of Endearment (1983)), Roland Joffé (The Killing Fields (1984)), Kenneth Branagh (Henry V (1989)), Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot (1989)), Kevin Costner (Dances with Wolves (1990)), John Singleton (Boyz n the Hood (1991)), Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich (1999)), Sam Mendes (American Beauty (1999)), Rob Marshall (Chicago (2002)), Bennett Miller (Capote (2005)), Tony Gilroy (Michael Clayton (2007)), Benh Zeitlin (Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)).

Actress, director and playwright.

Member of the 'Official Competition' jury at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival in 2014.

Lifelong cinematic crush has been veteran actor John Wayne, especially her memories of him in such titles as Red River (1948) and Rio Bravo (1959).

Originally signed on to a petition by supporters of the international boycott movement against Israel that unsuccessfully demanded that an Israeli theatre production be cancelled, but publicly stated soon afterwards that the petition did not reflect her views and that she disavowed signing it.

Living in New York City.

In 2020, Gerwig became the first woman to have directed two movies that were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, Lady Bird (2017) and Little Women (2019). Two years later, Jane Campion became the second woman to direct two Best Picture nominees, The Piano (1993) and The Power of the Dog (2021). Gerwig also became the first woman to direct three Best Picture nominees with Barbie (2023).

She has directed three films that have been nominated for the Best Picture Oscar: Lady Bird (2017), Little Women (2019) and Barbie (2023).