Saoirse Ronan: 'Greta Gerwig was born to be a director'

Actress Saoirse Ronan is convinced her Lady Bird writer/director Greta Gerwig was born to make movies because she was so "natural" as a first-time filmmaker.

The Atonement star leads the cast in Gerwig's new drama, in which she portrays a teenager desperate to leave home, and Saoirse was amazed by how well the Frances Ha actress adapted to her new role behind the camera.

"I was a huge fan of hers anyway, even before I met her," Saoirse gushed about her film boss to U.S. breakfast show Good Morning America. "She's incredible, this is her first film and she was incredibly prepared and supportive, and I feel like she - which is quite unusual for a first-time director - she really knew what type of filmmaker she wanted to be.

"It was a very natural position for her to be in, and to watch someone come into their own and do something you kinda feel like they were born to do is amazing."

Saoirse isn't the only one to sing Greta's praises - Lady Bird has received critical acclaim and is already landing cast and crew some top prizes as awards season gets fully underway.

It was recently voted Best Picture by officials at the New York Film Critics Circle Awards, who also honored Saoirse as Best Actress - the same accolade she took home at the 2017 Gotham Independent Film Awards last week (27Nov17).

On Monday (04Dec17), it was also announced the 23-year-old would receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress at the 2018 Palm Springs Film Festival in January.

Meanwhile, the Irish star's onscreen mom, Laurie Metcalf, was named Best Supporting Actress by industry experts behind the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, when the winners were picked on Sunday (03Dec17).