Greta Gerwig feared ‘Barbie’ would be a “career-ender”
The celebrated American filmmaker Greta Gerwig has revealed that she was “terrified” that the upcoming Barbie movie might be a “career-ender” for her.
The writer and director of such movies as the five-time Oscar-nominated drama Lady Bird and the beloved movie adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women took to Dua Lipa‘s podcast At Your Service to discuss her excitement and trepidation about taking on the forthcoming project. “It was terrifying,” she told the host, “I think that was a big part of it, I think there’s something about starting from that place where it’s like, ‘Well, anything is possible!’ It felt like vertigo starting to write it. Like, where do you even begin? What would be the story?”.
Gerwig explained that her fear helped to push her to make a more interesting film, however, stating, “That feeling that I had was knowing that it would be really interesting terror. Usually that’s where the best stuff is”. Continuing, she adds, “When you’re like, ‘I am terrified of that.’ Anything where you’re like, ‘This could be a career-ender,’ then you’re like, ‘Ok, I probably should do it’”.
Starring Margot Robbie as the titular character, based on the iconic doll made by Mattel, the film also features Ryan Gosling as the love interest, Ken, alongside the likes of Will Ferrell, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon and Issa Rae.
Is life in plastic so fantastic? This is the central question director Greta Gerwig, and co-writer Noah Baumbach will surely explore in a film whose plot is being kept tightly under wraps.
Slated for release on July 21, 2023, Barbie is set to be one of the biggest movies of next year.
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