Greta Gerwig joins Baumbach's "Greenberg"

By Steven Zeitchik

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Actress Greta Gerwig, known for her work in "Baghead" and other indie films, will star opposite Ben Stiller in Noah Baumbach's "Greenberg."

Baumbach, who is best known for the Oscar-nominated intergenerational divorce saga "The Squid and the Whale," is writing and directing the comedy-drama. The feature's plot is being kept under wraps, but it is expected to be set in Los Angeles and center on relationship intimacies in the manner of past Baumbach pictures, which also include "Mr. Jealousy" and "Margot at the Wedding."

Scott Rudin will produce "Greenberg" and Universal Pictures specialty division Focus Features will finance and distribute.

In addition to the genre spoof "Baghead," Gerwig's indie screen work includes the offbeat relationship tale "Hannah Takes the Stairs," which she co-wrote. She is affiliated with the loose movement of low-budget verite filmmaking known as mumblecore.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter