Sophia Michaels
Greta Gerwig is looking forward to her biggest box-office hit yet as the director and writer of “Barbie,” a gleefully quirky new take on the beloved brand. It’s very much par for the course for Gerwig, who has made a career out of telling unusual, meaningful stories that examine life, love, and all the contradictory facets of femininity.
Today, Gerwig is probably best known as a director and a writer, with Oscar nominations for films like “Lady Bird” and “Little Women.” What you might not know, though, is that she’s actually an actress as well! In fact, she’s starred in several of the movies she’s written and directed throughout her career, as well as several others. For the most part, Gerwig’s filmography leans towards indie films, and there are plenty of intriguing titles to take a look at.
Check out some of the highlights from her previous work — we guarantee you’ll be an even bigger fan after watching these!
Movies Greta Gerwig Directed
1. “Lady Bird” (2017)
The 2017 coming-of-age dramedy, starring Saoirse Ronan, earned Gerwig a pair of Oscar nominations for best director and best original screenplay. Set in the early 2000s, the movie traces a year in the life of Christine, aka “Lady Bird,” a high school senior struggling with growing up and dealing with a complicated relationship with her mother.
2. “Nights and Weekends” (2008)
Gerwig co-directed this 2008 indie film with Joe Swanberg, with whom she also co-stars. Mattie (Gerwig) and James (Swanberg) attempt to maintain a long-distance relationship, but it doesn’t go quite to plan. The movie follows the course of the relationship, its aftermath, and its potential renewal.
3. “Little Women” (2019)
Gerwig earned her third Oscar nomination (for best-adapted screenplay) for her lively and heartfelt adaptation of the beloved literary classic. Jumping back and forth between the present day and a few years earlier, the movie follows the lives, loves, and ambitions of the four March sisters in Civil War-era New England: elegant Meg, scrappy Jo, gentle Beth, and ambitious Amy.
4. “Barbie” (2023)
Gerwig is set to put her unique spin on the iconic Barbie franchise. After cracks begin to appear in the carefree, seemingly perfect Barbie Land, Barbie (with the support of the loyal Ken, of course) goes on an adventure to find meaning in the real world, only to collide with plenty of unexpected twists and turns.
Greta Gerwig’s Acting Roles
1. “Hannah Takes the Stairs” (2007)
Gerwig co-wrote and starred in this mumblecore indie film from 2007. She stars as Hannah, an intern working at a movie production office over the summer who finds herself torn between three very different men. Along the way, Hannah tries to figure out what she’s doing with her life, and not just romantically.
2. “Greenberg” (2010)
The 2010 dramedy starred Gerwig as Florence, personal assistant to the privileged Greenberg family. She strikes up a complicated relationship with her boss’s brother Roger (played by Ben Stiller). Directed by Noah Baumbach, this movie marked the first of several collaborations between Gerwig and Baumbach, who began a romantic relationship as well in 2011.
3. “No Strings Attached” (2011)
Gerwig has a supporting role in this 2011 romantic comedy. She plays Dr. Patrice, a friend and colleague to Emma (played by Natalie Portman). When Emma reconnects with an old friend, Adam, for a “no strings attached” arrangement, their attempts to keep feelings out of the equation fail pretty quickly, bringing chaos to their lives.
4. “Francis Ha” (2013)
Gerwig stars in and co-wrote this 2012 dramedy, directed again by Baumbach. She plays Frances, a dancer in New York City who’s struggling with making ends meet and pursuing her dreams. When her best friend and roommate tells her that she’s moving to Tribeca — without Frances — she’s left adrift, battling several pieces of bad news in hopes that she’ll finally have her breakthrough moment.
5. “Damsels in Distress” (2011)
In this 2011 college film, Gerwig plays Lily, a transfer student who befriends a group of girls who run a suicide prevention center on campus. The group has some unorthodox methods of trying to raise their fellow students’ spirits, with mixed results. The ensemble cast also includes Adam Brody, Aubrey Plaza, Alia Shawkat, and others.
6. “Mistress America” (2015)
Another collaboration between Gerwig and Baumbach, this 2015 comedy features Gerwig as the star and as co-writer. She plays Brooke, a young woman hoping to open a restaurant in honor of her late mother. When her boyfriend dumps her and pulls his support for her restaurant, she has to get creative to find the resources to make her dream a reality.
7. “Jackie” (2017)
Gerwig has a supporting role opposite Natalie Portman in this dramatization of Jackie Kennedy’s life after JFK’s assassination. She portrays a fictionalized version of Nancy Tuckerman, the White House social secretary during the Kennedy administration who stands by Jackie and, in real life, became her personal secretary until Jackie’s death in 1994.
8. “20th Century Women” (2016)
This 2016 dramedy features a talented cast including Gerwig, Annette Bening, Elle Fanning, and Billy Crudup. Gerwig plays Abbie, a young photographer in the midst of cancer treatment. Along with her landlady, her landlady’s son, his best friend, and another tenant, they form something of a quirky found family.
9. “Isle of Dogs” (2018)
Gerwig lends her voice to this Wes Anderson stop-motion animated feature. She voices Tracy, an American exchange student who uncovers a conspiracy and helps to rescue dogs in a dystopian future where dogs have been exiled due to a strange “dog flu” outbreak.”
10. “White Noise” (2022)
Gerwig’s most recent acting role is in this 2022 absurdist comedy, reuniting her with Baumbach as director and with “Frances Ha” co-star Adam Driver. She plays Babette, a married mother to a blended family whose life is thrown into upheaval when a train accident releases a cloud of toxic chemicals into the air.
