Golden Globes: 'Frances Ha' star Greta Gerwig is 'just very happy right now. I can't make sense!'

Everyone is excited about their respective Golden Globes nominations, but Frances Ha star Greta Gerwig can be forgiven for being even more excited than most. “I’m sorry if this is incoherent, I’m just really happy!” she gushed to EW on the phone this afternoon while celebrating her first nomination.

Her Lead Actress in a Comedy nod was something of a surprise, given the small scale of the film and the May theatrical release date, but voters were clearly impressed by her portrayal of the titular Frances, a twenty-something dancer who’s struggling with friend drama and career aspirations that are seeming less and less likely. If you’re a woman with a tell-everything-in-the-world-to best friend, you can easily relate to Frances’ co-dependent friendship struggles once guys enter the picture.

In addition to starring, Gerwig also co-wrote the script with her boyfriend, director Noah Baumbach. “It sounds goofy artistic, but we really did let the character tell us what the story was supposed to be,” Gerwig explained. “I really wanted to make something that was an anthem for female friendship and the last part of youth. That moment right before you start living your life in way that’s going to be OK for the next 10 years. And I love all the characters and I think we wanted to treat everyone in the film with honesty but also dignity. I think that’s what always inspires me to make things, to give people their due. Because I love people and being to create them onscreen in a story is the most fun I have doing anything.”

Her people-first story clearly resonated. “I got a phone call [this morning], which I did not pick up because I thought it meant I was in trouble [Laughs], and then I tried to go back to sleep and then I noticed I was getting all of these calls and text messages, and then I figured it out,” she said about how she started her morning. “I still can’t believe it. I keep thinking someone is going to call and say they made a mistake. I’m so honored. All the women in the category are so amazing. I’m overwhelmed. … I’m so honored and completely overwhelmed. That film came from such a place of love and everyone who worked on it is amazing and gave so much of their heart and soul to it so it feels like we’re this underdog, little movie that could sports story, like every cliché. I’m just very happy right now. I can’t make sense!”

She may be over the moon now, but she’s thinks she’ll be even more thrilled come Globes night. “Well, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are hosting,” she said about what she’s most excited for at the ceremony. “I’ve already watched their promo where they’re singing off key. I’ve already really amped up for this! I was really excited to watch it no matter what, so I think just getting to be there, and watching those funny ladies being funny [is great]. I love it because they can tell jokes, but they also are so quick-witted, obviously, and when they can produce jokes on the fly, that’s the best. I can’t wait to see how that all goes down. That’s what I’m really looking forward to.”

After the Globes, it’s back to more projects for the actress, who jokes that her day today is filled with meetings and she’s “just trying to get another job.” And while she’s hoping to do take part in a variety of projects on her own, she’s sure she’ll work with Baumbach again as well.

“We wrote another [script] together that we are in the process of completing right now,” she said. “But he also just directed one that he wrote alone that I have nothing to do with so we have plans together and to not work together. Because you don’t want to kill something by doing it too much. It’s sort of like a band, we want to make sure we still like the band but also have solo projects. I don’t play an instrument; I don’t know what I’m talking about! [laughs] But I imagine that’s what it feels like to be in a band.”

Frances Ha is now available to stream on Netflix.