Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach are one of Hollywood’s major power couples of the moment. And the duo collaborate on next year’s “Barbie,” which, if word of mouth is right, may become a cultural sensation when it hits theaters next summer. But if their respective films are up for awards, as they were at the 2020 Oscars, don’t expect either Gerwig or Baumbach to vote for each other’s movies.
IndieWire (via The New York Times) reports that Gerwig admitted that she couldn’t bring herself to vote for Baumbach’s “Marriage Story” for Best Picture when she had a film of her own, “Little Women,” vying for the same prize. “It was so weird in the moment when we actually were there,” Gerwig told the NYT. “It’s very funny, but we did actually vote for ourselves. We were at our computers and I was like, ‘Just so you know, I’m going to vote for myself,’ and he said, ‘OK, I’m going to vote for myself, too.’”
“Little Women” and “Marriage Story” had six Oscar nominations each at the 2020 ceremony. Gerwig’s film won Best Costume Design, while Laura Dern won Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Baumbach’s. Coincidentally, Dern also starred in “Little Women.” Of course, neither film won Best Picture, losing to Bong Joon-ho‘s “Parasite.” But Baumbach found it “easier” that neither he nor Gerwig won the big prize over each other. “We could celebrate that together,” Baumbach told the NYT.
Creative competition isn’t part of Gerwig and Baumbach’s partnership anyway, as both directors feel like they’re too old for that to faze them. “I feel like it must be hard if you’re 25,” Gerwig explained, “I think as you get older, things work, things don’t work. You’re up, you’re down.” Baumbach agreed with Gerwig. “I’ve been in a ton of therapy,” he said. “If I show her something I’m writing, or I show her a cut or something I’m working on that she’s not directly involved in, the highest compliment she pays is, she says, ‘I’m jealous.’ Maybe if I was 25 and met her, I wouldn’t have been able to handle it.”
Gerwig stars in Baumbach’s latest film “White Noise,” in limited theaters now before it hits Netflix exclusively on December 30. And Gerwig admitted she gave Baumbach some directorial advice “once on the set” of the move. But Baumbach didn’t mind at all. “He’s incredibly open to suggestion,” Gerwig explained. “The truth is, I think if I had wanted to sit there all day, every day, even when I wasn’t on the set, he’d be happy to ask what I thought of every shot.” Other collaborations between the two include 2010’s “Greenberg,” 2013’s “Frances Ha,” and 2015’s “Mistress America.”
Gerwig also added that she and Baumbach appreciate each other’s input creatively because, well, directing is a stressful gig, and a director needs “a buddy” for support. “I think also, as a director, there’s a certain loneliness,” said Gerwig. “Mike Nichols said directors need a buddy. So someone who has a thought or a point of view or is looking over your shoulder makes you feel less like you’re having an isolated existential crisis every day.” That’s a wholesome way of looking at it. Just don’t expect Gerwig or Baumbach to vote for any movie other than their own at awards shows.
“Barbie” hits theaters everywhere on July 21, 2023.
