Greenburg, Noah Baumbach’s follow-up to Margot at the Wedding, was becoming a movie for which I was having to work to maintain interest. Original star Mark Ruffalo dropped out after his family tragedy last year. He was followed out the door by Amy Adams, who stepped out shortly after. Stepping into Ruffalo’s shoes was Ben Stiller. Not a bad choice, and I’m curious to see Stiller play Baumbach’s version of drama, but still…he’s not Ruffalo.
Then yesterday a Production Weekly report (via Twitter) suggested that Jennifer Jason Leigh (who co-wrote with Baumbach) would be stepping into the other lead vacated by Adams.
But now THR reports that the role will be filled instead by Greta Gerwig, from Baghead and Hannah Takes the Stairs. Which isn’t the most surprising bit of casting, as the mumblecore movies Gerwig has created and been associated with are like a closer, less dramatized version of the arch family dramas Baumbach creates. I’ll admit it: I like the idea of seeing Gerwig pushed around a little by Baumbach, but maybe that’s just latent bitterness at the loss of Ruffalo and Adams.