Greta Gerwig’s first draft for her directorial debut Lady Bird ran to over 300 pages. In order to trim it down to a shootable length, she had to cut out a lot of material. What remained in the final draft were all the most compelling characters and their most interesting scenes. The title character, played by a revelatory Saoirse Ronan, is the focus of the movie, but she’s constantly contrasted with the other characters around her.
With a supporting cast to die for – featuring Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts, Timothée Chalamet, and Beanie Feldstein, to name just a few – Lady Bird is filled with memorable character moments.
Shelly: Smoking Cloves
After going to Danny’s grandma’s house for Thanksgiving and then getting high with her friends into the night, Lady Bird sees Shelly smoking outside the house and notices her cigarettes aren’t normal cigarettes – they’re cloves.
Shelly gives her one to smoke and they talk about Marion. Lady Bird thinks her mom hates her, but Shelly insists she has a big heart because Marion invited her into their home when her own parents kicked her out.
Danny: “I Won’t Tell.”
Lady Bird is heartbroken when she walks in on her boyfriend Danny - her first love - making out with another boy. She refuses to speak to him when they’re appearing in the other performances of the musical and eventually, Danny comes to the coffee shop where she works to clear the air.
She storms out and Danny confronts her while she’s taking out the trash. Initially, she’s angry at him, but as he opens up about his struggles to come out and how difficult it’ll be to tell his parents and the shame he feels, she embraces him and says, “It’s okay, I won’t tell.”
Jenna: Visiting The Wrong House
When Jenna asks Lady Bird where she lives, she tells her she lives in Danny’s grandma’s house to sound more impressive. The lie unravels when Jenna decides to stop by and visit Lady Bird while she’s suspended.
After freaking out Danny’s grandma, Jenna visits Lady Bird’s real house and tells her she hates dishonesty, but reluctantly agrees to forgive her because she’s still dating Kyle.
Miguel: “Even You Deserve Better Than This.”
In most of their scenes together, Lady Bird and her brother Miguel bicker, like most siblings do, but the underlying sweetness rears its head on prom night when Kyle reveals himself to be “a guy who honks.”
Miguel cracks, “Even you deserve better than this.” It’s a sweet compliment veiled in an insult, capturing the pair’s dynamic.
Kyle: “Different Things Can Be Sad, It’s Not All War!”
After a brief and very awkward first sexual encounter, Lady Bird discovers that Kyle isn’t a virgin like he implied when they made out at Jenna’s house party. She’s distraught that she had a crucial adolescent experience under false pretenses.
Kyle tells her about the civilian casualties in the U.S. invasion of Iraq to try to put her emotions into perspective and she snaps at him, “Shut up! Shut up! Different things can be sad, it’s not all war!”
Larry: Birthday Cupcake
Throughout the movie, Lady Bird has a handful of sweet moments with her dad, like when he gives her the letters her mom wrote or when they get a big bag of Doritos to eat in the car to celebrate getting waitlisted.
Arguably their greatest moment is when Larry brings Lady Bird a cupcake to celebrate her birthday (since she and her mom aren’t on speaking terms) and puts a candle on it and encourages her to make a wish. She asks if he wants some of the cake and he bluntly says, “Yes.”
Julie: Going To Prom Together
Lady Bird has a ton of great moments with her best friend Julie, from listening to “Crash Into Me” after seeing Danny making out with another boy to arguing about whether there’s a role called “the Tempest” in The Tempest. Saoirse Ronan’s impeccable chemistry with Beanie Feldstein goes a long way toward making the characters ring true as best friends.
The duo’s greatest moment is when Lady Bird asks Kyle – who wants to ditch prom to go to a house party – to drop her off at Julie’s house. After rekindling their friendship and eating a bunch of cheese, they go to prom together and have the time of their lives, much to the chagrin of the stuffy Immaculate Heart nuns.
Marion: “What If This Is The Best Version?”
Marion gives Lady Bird the silent treatment through the final act of the movie, so their last interactions are indirect (Larry gives Lady Bird her mother’s discarded letters and Lady Bird leaves an apologetic voicemail for her mom).
Their last real interaction is when they go shopping for prom dresses. Lady Bird confides in her mom, “I just wish... I wish that you liked me.” Marion says, “Of course I love you,” and Lady Bird says, “But do you like me?” “I want you to be the very best version of yourself that you can be.” “What if this is the best version?” It’s a beautiful, poignant, vulnerable moment.