First of all, I loved your movie.
Thank you.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
What a great time for you, and a great cast,
and so many nominations.
And you're getting so much attention, and well-deserved.
So congratulations.
Thank you so much.
It's like the most exciting time I've ever had--
Yeah, I bet.
--in my life.
I bet.
I mean, you've done some movies before,
but this is getting more attention than any other movie
you've done.
Yeah, definitely.
I mean, this has been, I mean, it's just been a wild ride.
And it was such a labor of love from everyone who made it.
And the fact that audiences are responding in the way
that they are, it just means the world to all of us.
Well, and the fact that there is a woman that
is nominated for directing means the world to me.
That's--
Thank you.
You know, it's crazy that we don't
have as many women directing movies and, you know,
there's all kinds of things, but especially directing movies.
Yeah.
I mean, I do think it's changing.
I think this year was an amazing example
of, like, there's Patty Jenkins who directed Wonder Woman,
there was Dee Rees who did Mudbound,
Sofia Coppola, The Beguiled.
There's a lot more women who are making great stuff that's
really making an impact.
So I just think when people want to make movies,
they have these examples now.
It doesn't feel like there are no women.
I think it's a good time to be a woman filmmaker.
Yes.
It's a good time to be a woman, period,
because we have voices now, and we actually are being heard.
All right, so before--
because this is a huge deal, but before this happened,
you applied to grad schools.
You wanted to be a playwright.
Yeah.
How'd that go?
Not good.
I did not get into any graduate schools.
None.
Not one.
Well, when I was an undergrad, I didn't
get into any acting programs.
And then I was like, well, maybe writing is what I do.
And then I got rejected from all of those.
So I'm totally rejected from all formal training programs.
Wow.
And now you're an Oscar nominee.
And they all rejected you.
So what was your backup plan?
What were you going to do?
Well, I mean, I went to college.
I always wanted to do this, but I
didn't know exactly how I was going to get there.
My mom was very good at getting me to get backup plans.
I'm a certified aerobics instructor.
Leading up to the Oscars, they have
all kinds of different things.
They have the luncheon that I saw that you were hanging out
with Meryl Streep.
Had you met Meryl Streep before?
I had met her once before, but we were on the risers
together for a very long time.
And I was like, this is our moment where we're
going to become best friends.
And we'll look back and be like, we met on the risers
at the Oscar luncheon.
Uh-huh.
Yeah.
I tried to be very cool with her, though.
Have you kept up since then?
Not yet.
But I'm planning on it.
You will.
I will.
I will figure it out.
Yes, for sure.
Maybe you'll be seated next to her or near her or something.
I hope so.
She has a great sense of humor.
And I also feel like she creates a halo of goodness
around everyone around her.
So if you can just bask in that, that's really nice.
Yeah.
She'll bring you good luck.
She's really a very, very funny lady.
I know.
You know that.
Yeah.
What did they tell-- did they give you advice
about the Oscars?
Yes, the whole-- it's an amazing thing.
It's like all the Oscar nominees together.
And it's-- you sit, and you have lunch,
and then you take a group photo.
And they were like, it's the class picture.
And you're like, this is the craziest class
I've ever been a part of.
But they give you advice, and they say--
the whole luncheon they keep saying--
if you win, keep it short.
You have 45 seconds.
And they were like, we played Jack Nicholson off.
We'll play you off.
Wow, they sound like thugs.
I mean, who are these people running the luncheon?
So do you have a speech ready?
Are you going to write something and bring it up?
Or--
I will.
I'll prepare something.
But I'm also prepared for the fact that once you're up there,
I think it all kind of just is overwhelming.
Just why don't you now--
just look.
I'm not saying that you won't win, because I hope you do win.
I don't even really remember who you're up against.
But just practice now, because then you won't be nervous then.
And we get to hear, just in case.
Just look.
Just look into the camera, or wherever you want to look.
Oh, God.
Oh, no.
You think-- what do you feel?
Does this feel like bad karma?
No, no.
It's like--
Wait, someone's nodding in the audience.
She thinks it's bad karma.
No.
She thinks don't do it.
No, she's-- get her out of here, whoever she is.
No, you do whatever you want.
And what it is is you're actually manifesting it.
So when you say the speech-- don't you all think that more?
That you're manifesting it.
So you can say what you would say.
But, so, then if this does curse me,
will then you make me an Oscar?
Yes.
Like, will you whittle it?
If you'd like me to whittle--
Or cast it?
I was going to macrame it, but if you want me to whittle it.
Just, just-- yeah.
OK, so I guess I'm a winner either way.
Yeah, right.
OK.
Right.
I will collect.
Just start thanking people.
OK.
I'd like to thank--
I'd like to thank the Academy.
I'd like to thank my mom.
It's too late.
No, it's too late.
It's too late.
I'm done.
No.
See, that's it.
That was it.
That was all I got.
Lady Bird is in theaters now.