Greta Gerwig, Director of Barbie at Barbie Movie Reception (headshot).jpg
Women and Adversity:
Greta Gerwig
Director of Barbie
Growing up I was never into dolls, although I had some, so when the movie Barbie came out, I didn’t run to the theatre even though Greta Gerwig directed it. She earned acting credits since 2006 and added writing and directing to her resume. I hesitated to feature an actress on this blog, but Time magazine named her one of the most influential women in the world in 2018, and this year—2024—she was one of Time’s Women of the Year. That was enough of an endorsement for me.
Although she was denied entry into playwriting programs and was considered snubbed by the Academy Awards because she wasn’t nominated Best Director for Barbie, it turns out Gerwig is brilliant. Lady Bird in 2017 and Little Women in 2019, both of which she wrote and directed, earned Best Picture nominations and other nominations. She co-wrote Barbie with her now-husband Noah Baumbach, a filmmaker, but directed the film herself. It is the highest grossing film in the world directed solo by a woman. It made $1.4 billion worldwide. She is worth a blog post.
Bio:
- Born August 4, 1983 in Sacramento, California
- 2002 – graduated from St. Francis High School in Sacramento
- 2006 – cast in a minor role in LOL and Baghead
- 2006 – earned a bachelor’s degree in English and philosophy from Barnard College
Career:
- 2007 – co-wrote Hannah Takes the Stairs with Joe Swanberg
- 2008 – co-wrote and co-directed Nights and Weekends with Swanberg
- 2010 – cast with Ben Stiller in Greenberg
- 2012 – cast in Wood Allen’s To Rome with Love; starred in and co-wrote
with Baumbach Frances Ha - 2015 – Mistress America, collaborated with Baumbach
- 2016 – played first lady’s social secretary in Jackie; had a supporting role
in 20th Century Women
Quote: “I want to produce women’s films, because I think women want to see films made by people who know what they’re talking about, what the experience is,” Gerwig said at the 2017 Women in Entertainment Summit.
Personal life:
- Married Noah Baumbach in 2023, if not before
- The couple have two sons, Harold, 5; and another son, 1. They haven’t revealed this son’s name.
More Information:
www.imdb.com/name/nm1950086
www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/greta_gerwig
time.com/collection/women-of-the-year/6692799/greta-gerwig-interview
