-Congrats on everything. Oh, my gosh. What a great movie.
-Thank you. -It was great.
It's got 99% Rotten Tomatoes. Yeah, exactly. Right?
-Get it. -Yes.
Sorry, I was the 1% that gave it a bad review.
I know I was -- [ Laughter ]
I loved it. -Thank you.
-And you filmed this -- actually -- you were...?
-I filmed this a week after I exited my own eighth grade year,
which was very, like, cathartic and just weird but fun.
It was better than my own eighth grade year.
The movie, so. -Do you think so?
-Yeah, I mean, like -- -Eighth grade's tough.
-Eighth grade is very tough. I had a very tough year.
-Yeah.
-But, yeah, filming of the movie was great.
-Did your friends know that you were gonna do this movie?
-They did not. That was actually the fun part.
It's 'cause, like, I got back from high school and no one knew
and then my teachers actually played the trailer
after it came out, and that was very awkward.
-That's a little weird, right?
-Yeah, it's like -- you know, it's like when parents --
It's like if parents were to show home videos to your peers.
Not your friends, but -- like -- -Not your friends, but yeah.
-Like, your co-workers. -Yeah. Yeah, that would be odd.
Yeah, absolutely. -Yeah.
-But did they freak out, and like go, "Oh, my gosh"?
-No, it was like -- It was cool for like 20 minutes,
and then it's like, "Oh, that's just nerdy Elsie."
-No way. -Yeah.
-And then you went into high school?
-Well, I'm actually doing home schooling now.
-You are? -Yeah.
High school is just too much for me.
[ Laughter ]
-Oh, please. Really.
Is acting your love of your life?
This is what you want to do?
-Yeah, I think so. -Yeah.
-I mean, I've done it for like 10 years,
but it's always kind of felt like a hobby.
But "Eighth Grade," like,
really rejuvenated the love of, like, acting for me.
I'm in it now.
-I love it. Good, I'm glad. -Yeah.
-You've been winning every award.
-Yeah. -I'm just gonna list a few.
But Break-Through Actor at the Gotham Awards.
Congratulations. -Thank you.
-You got nominated for -- [ Cheers and applause ]
An Independent Spirit Award.
I mean, congrats on that.
You're nominated alongside Glenn Close.
-Yeah, it's incredible. -That's awesome.
-I'm, like, flattered beyond anything.
-Today you just got an award -- Atlanta Film Critics.
You just tied with Lady Gaga.
-Yeah. What? -I mean --
[ Cheers and applause ] Excuse me?
-Bucket list. -Yeah. Oh, my God.
No, it's incredibly flattering and, like, just insane
'cause we had so much fun making the movie.
It's like, "It can't be good. That's too good." You know?
Like, you can't have fun making something
and then it's also, like, really great.
-Bo Burnham, right? -Bo -- Yeah.
Bo Burnham was the director and writer.
-Written and directed by him. And is this his first film?
-Yes. Yeah.
-He's great. -He's incredible.
-He's got to be psyched for this too.
-I feel so lucky. -Oh, yeah.
-Yeah.
-Why do you think people took to this film?
-I think just 'cause it's honest, you know?
There are a lot of movies about teenagers made for teenagers,
but this was made just by people
trying to be honest about their own experience.
Yeah, and I think also people very much have, like,
very internal, you know, like, "ugh" feeling
'cause it relates to the anxiety part, especially.
You know? -Of being an eighth grader?
-Yeah, and just living, I think.
Kind of the world feels like eighth grade.
[ Laughter ]
-The world feels like eighth grade.
Yeah, I guess it does a little bit.
-It starts at eighth grade and it just never really stops.
-Yeah, that's -- I will agree with that.
I thought you did such a great job.
There's people impersonating you
and, like, doing you online and on TikTok.
-Really? On TikTok?
-Yeah, they're lip syncing you on TikTok.
It's kind of fun. -Oh, God.
-Yeah. You hit the big time now, pal.
-Oh, yeah.
You know you made it when people TikTok you.
[ Laughter ]
-I've always said it.
I want to show everyone a clip here.
Here's Elsie Fisher in "Eighth Grade."
Take a look at this.
-Can you not look like that, please?
-What? Like what?
-Like the way you're looking.
-Looking at the road?
-You can look at the road, Dad. I honestly didn't mean that.
Just, like, don't be weird and quiet while you do it.
-Sorry.
Hey, how was the shadow thing? -No, you were being quiet,
which is fine.
Just, like, don't be weird and quiet because, like,
I look over at you and I think you're about to drive us
into a tree or something, and then I get really freaked out
and then I can't text my friends.
So, just, like, be quiet and drive
and don't look weird and sad, please.
-Okay.
-That's worse.
[ Cheers and applause ]
-Elsie Fisher, everybody!
"Eighth Grade" is now available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and On Demand.