Greta Gerwig Was Nervous While Acting in ‘White Noise’
For the past few years, Netflix has continued to deliver major awards contenders. And while White Noise hasn’t gained the same acclaim as previous Netflix releases – such as The Power of the Dog and Roma – it has plenty of talent involved in front of the camera and behind it. The film reunites Greta Gerwig with frequent collaborator (and real-life partner) Noah Baumbach. But Gerwig recently admitted she was nervous when she stepped on set.
Greta Gerwig co-stars with Adam Driver in 2022’s ‘White Noise’
Based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Don DeLillo, White Noise sees Gerwig star opposite Adam Driver, Don Cheadle, Raffey Cassidy, Sam Nivola, and May Nivola. The story follows a family in the aftermath of an air contamination accident near their home. DeLillo’s novel was previously considered unfilmable, as the sprawling story likely wouldn’t translate well to the big screen.
While White Noise has not received universal acclaim, it has gotten its fair share of positive notices from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has a 63 percent rating, which barely clears the 60 percent needed to be Certified Fresh on the website. That’s a far cry from Baumbach’s last film, 2019’s Marriage Story. That release – which also starred Driver – earned 95 percent and received six Oscar nominations, including Laura Dern’s win for Best Supporting Actress.
Why Greta Gerwig was nervous while filming ‘White Noise’
Despite her history of working on Baumbach’s films, Gerwig admitted she was nervous during the experience of stepping into the role of Babette Gladney. In an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Gerwig opened up about why her nerves were on edge while making White Noise.
“[Noah] was actually across the apartment. He sort of called to me and said, ‘Who should play Babette?’ And I said, ‘Obviously, me!’ But I hadn’t acted in a while, and it’s nerve-wracking. And it’s with Adam Driver and Don Cheadle, and really amazing actors.”
Armed with what is referenced in the film as “important hair,” Gerwig ultimately found the character. But it’s understandable she’d be a bit rusty. Other than a voice role in 2018’s Isle of Dogs, Gerwig’s last on-camera acting role was 2016’s 20th Century Women. In the past few years, she’s been busy writing and directing movies like Lady Bird and Little Women.
Greta Gerwig’s next project is the live-action ‘Barbie’ movie
For her next project, Gerwig is taking on her most high-profile directing gig yet. She’s the filmmaker behind the upcoming Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. A live-action movie based on the Mattel toy line has long been in the works. And given the pitch-perfect casting and Gerwig’s directorial track record, fans are hoping for greatness.
If it’s a hit, Barbie could mean huge things for Gerwig’s career. According to Variety, the movie marks one of very few films directed by women to have a budget of $100 million or more. Gerwig joins a select group that includes Chloé Zhao (Marvel’s Eternals), Patty Jenkins (Wonder Woman), Niki Caro (Disney’s live-action Mulan), and Ava DuVernay (A Wrinkle in Time).
