Age: 42
female
Greta Gerwig is an American actress, playwright, screenwriter, and director based in NY. She has collaborated with Noah Baumbach on several films, including Greenberg (2010), Frances Ha (2012), for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination, and Mistress America (2015). Gerwig made her solo directorial debut with the critically acclaimed comedy-drama film Lady Bird (2017), which she also wrote, and has also had starring roles in the films Damsels in Distress (2011), Jackie (2016), and 20th Century Women (2016). Greta Celeste Gerwig was born in Sacramento, California, to Christine Gerwig (née Sauer), a nurse, and Gordon Gerwig, a financial consultant and computer programmer. She has German, Irish, and English ancestry. Gerwig was raised as a Unitarian Universalist, but also attended an all-girls Catholic school. She has described herself as "an intense child". With an early interest in dance, she intended to get a degree in musical theatre in New York. She graduated from Barnard College in NY, where she studied English and philosophy, instead. Originally intending to become a playwright, after meeting young film director Joe Swanberg, she became the star of a series of intellectual low budget movies made by first-time filmmakers, a trend dubbed "mumblecore". Gerwig was cast in a minor role in Swanberg's LOL (2006) in 2006, while still studying at Barnard. She then appeared in many of Swanberg's films, and personally co-directed, co-wrote and co-produced one entitled Nights and Weekends (2008). She has worked with good quality directors such as Ti West (The House of the Devil (2009)), Whit Stillman (Damsels in Distress (2011)), or Woody Allen (To Rome with Love (2012)) but success and (international) recognition did not come until Frances Ha (2012), directed by Noah Baumbach, a film she also co-wrote. Both tall and immature, awkward and graceful, blundering and candid, annoying and engaging, Greta has won all hearts in the title role of Frances Ha(liday). In 2017, she wrote and directed the highly acclaimed, semi-autobiographical teen movie Lady Bird (2017), set in 2002-2003, and starring Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, and Timothée Chalamet. In 2011, Gerwig received an award for Acting from the Athena Film Festival for her artistry as one of Hollywood's definitive screen actresses of her generation.
Andrea Absolonová, known by the world as Lea De Mae, was a woman ahead of her time—navigating the often-conflicting worlds of sports, fame, and personal freedom. The film begins with Andrea’s rise as a promising high diver on the Czech national team. Trained for perfection, Andrea’s dedication to her sport propels her to incredible heights, with her graceful dives symbolizing her deep yearning to transcend societal expectations. But as her diving career slows, Andrea’s quest for self-expression leads her into the adult entertainment industry, where she adopts the pseudonym Lea De Mae. The film explores the challenges and contradictions she faces in this new life. Through her transformation into an adult model and actress, Lea embraces her sexuality as a source of empowerment, yet also contends with the stigma and judgment surrounding her choices. But Andrea's story takes an unexpected turn when she is diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of 27. Her strength and resilience are tested in her final months, as she battles a devastating illness while reflecting on her legacy. Lea: Beyond the Dive delves into the emotional and philosophical complexities of a life lived in the public eye, examining the tension between fame, freedom, and vulnerability.
