Greta Gerwig is choosing to focus on the positive after being snubbed for an Oscar in this year’s nominations.
On Monday, it was announced that no women had been nominated in the Best Director category at this year’s Academy Awards, meaning Greta and fellow directors Lulu Wang, Lorene Scafaria and Alma Har’el were not on the shortlist.
Shortly after the nominations were announced, Greta released a statement, in which she focussed on her excitement for her film Little Women receiving six nominations, rather than her own personal snub.
“I am brimming with happiness,” she said. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you (that’s six!) to the Academy.”
She continued: “Every single person who worked on this film poured their heart and soul into it, and we are all so grateful to the Academy for recognising the collective effort.
“I am so personally proud of each person who worked on the film, and I am bursting with joy for all of them.”
The director went on to give shout-outs to the cast, including nominated actresses Saoirse Ronan and Florence Pugh, as well as Laura Dern, who was recognised in the Best Supporting Actress category for her role in Marriage Story, directed by Greta’s partner Noah Baumbach.
Greta also gave shout-outs to cast members Emma Watson, Meryl Streep, Eliza Scanlen and Timothée Chalamet, who she described as “the fifth March sister” and an “all-round prince”.
She added: “Writing and directing this film was an honour and sharing it with audiences has been the most sincerely heart-warming journey.
“I hope our Little Women does for another generation of girls and women what it did for me: lights a fire to write your book, make your movie, sing your verse. From all of us Little Women and Men, thank you to the Academy.”
However, while Greta has chosen not to address the snub, the same can’t be said for her cast, with nominated stars Saoirse Ronan and Florence Pugh both voicing their upset.
Saoirse told Deadline: “I’m really happy that the Academy recognised [Gerwig] for Adapted Screenplay and Picture, and I feel like if you’ve been nominated for Best Picture, you have essentially been nominated for Best Director.
“But to me, Greta, since she started, has made two perfect films, and I hope when she makes her next perfect movie, she gets recognised for everything, because I think she’s one of the most important filmmakers of our time.”
Florence also described the snub as a “blow”, noting: “I think everybody’s angry and quite rightly so.
“I can’t believe [no women have been nominated for Best Director] again, but I don’t really know how to solve it. I don’t know what the answer is, other than we’re talking about it.”
This year’s Oscars take place on Sunday 9 February.