Have you seenLady Birdyet?
If the answer is no, then what exactly are you doing here reading this?
Get to a movie theater immediately!
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That performance you see in the film?
Thats the one I saw in the audition, says Gerwig.
She walked out of the room and I said, Who is that girl?
Merie Wallace/A24
Last week, Feldstein arrived full of pep and cheer to a coffee shop in New Yorks Chelsea neighborhood.
With an effervescent smile and easy laugh, Feldstein still cant seem to believe her own fortune.
Gratitude is not a good enough word, she says.
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: Lets start with an easy one: your older brother is Jonah Hill.
Where did the name Beanie Feldstein come from?BEANIE FELDSTEIN:Hill is Jonahs middle name.
By the time I was 4 or 5 months old, I was just Beanie.
Names are important and they have to fit.
Beanie Feldstein fits me.
Jonah is nearly 10 years older than you did seeing his early success inspire you?Absolutely.
Im his biggest fan.
But Ive been performing since I was 5.
Ive always been totally obsessed with theater especially musicals.
My 3rd birthday party wasFunny Girlthemed.
[Laughs] My best friend is [Dear Evan Hansenstar] Ben Platt.
We met in high school, and we were both theater fanatics.
We went and sawAugust: Osage Countyand we werewrecked.
Then when I was onLady Birdto see [playwright] Tracy Letts walk by?
Youd only done one film whenLady Birdcame your way.
How did Greta Gerwig find you?I was such a big Greta fan already.
My roommate and best friend from college had the picture ofFrances Haas her Facebook cover photo.
That movie meant a lot to us.
So when I got the script I couldnt believe it.
Just getting to read it made me feel lucky.
And before I knew it I was reading with Greta.
Id never wanted anything so much.
What do you remember from that audition?I was so nervous but she was so wonderful.
She was reading the part of Lady Bird and I was reading Julie.
I remember talking about this idea of pillow talk.
Something about how these girls, they have this little world that they enter into when theyre together.
What was shooting like?Most of my stuff was with Saorise.
Shes next level for me.
And then we fell in love, which made our relationship on-screen easy.
I find Julie and Lady Birds relationship incredibly moving.
We didnt have our phones on set which I loved, because between takes wed just talk.
Like, wed lay on the floor together and just hang out.
This movie was so fun.
When I think about it all we did was dance and eat and sing along to songs.
I have never felt so sad.
The way I think about it now is a marker on my timeline: beforeLady Birdand after.
When I met Timmy he was likeyouve graduated college?!?
[Laughs] Thanks for making me feel old!
Those boys are so talented.
I think everyone that sees this movie or has met Timmy becomes obsessed with him.
I tookLady Birdto [Alma Mater] Weslyan recently and screened it there.
Timmys stuff played like gangbusters.
People were rolling around and literally slapping their knees.
I found out I got the part, like, 90 minutes later.
But they told me I got it and I basically was just like, uh, I dont understand.
He was so excited, my mom was kvelling, it was very special to be with them.
What was opening night like?I think I was fully blacked out.
[Laughs] I dont remember much.
Hes become such an important person to me.
This whole cast is so incredible, you have to live up to how amazing they are.
Its all so crazy!
How do you follow this year up?I dont know!
Whatever she writes next I want in.
I have a pipe dream that we could play a young Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy in something.
But you know, I couldnt have predicted justoneof the things thats happened to me.
I couldnt have predictedanyof it.
I feel so overwhelmed by how thankful I am.
Im excited for whatever comes next.
