First look at Greta Gerwig’s Little Women

Just before Christmas last year, we bought you the news of a new adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, starring Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen. This latest adaptation is written and directed by Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) and produced by Amy Pascal (The Post), Denise Di Novi (Little Women 1994), Robin Swicord (Matilda), and Andrea Giannetti (Passengers).

In the first introduction to Gerwig’s Little Women, we shared behind the scene photographs from the film set, shared by Emma Watson herself on Twitter and Instagram. Now, Vanity Fair has revealed the exclusive first look at the cast in costume playing their respective characters while filming on location in the book’s setting, Massachusetts.

The March sisters picnicking on the beach. From left to right: Emma Watson as Meg, Florence Pugh as Amy, Saoirse Ronan as Jo, and Eliza Scanlen as Beth.

Right: Saoirse Ronan as Jo March, Left: Timothée Chalamet as Laurie

Emma Watson as the eldest March sister, Meg

Writer and Director, Greta Gerwig on set with Meryl Streep playing Aunt March

From left to right: Emma Watson as Meg, Florence Pugh as Amy, Saoirse Ronan as Jo, and Eliza Scanlen as Beth.

Although this new film comes only two years after the TV mini-series adaptation starring Maya Hawke (Jo), Kathryn Newton (Amy), Willa Fitzgerald (Meg), and Annes Elwy (Beth) as the March sister, we’re sure Greta Gerwig’s adaptation will bring something unique to the story. In fact, Gerwig hinted to Vanity Fair that her version of Little Women will explore the speculation of Alcott’s own sexuality (given that she never married), through the eyes of Laurie and Jo, and their friendship.

The costume designer, Jacqueline Durran, subtly links the characters of Jo and Laurie through their wardrobe choices, making the swap items of clothing throughout filming. Gerwig explained the reasoning behind this, “Jo is a girl with a boy’s name, Laurie is a boy with a girl’s name. In some ways they are each other’s twins,” Then she added, “They find each other before they’ve committed to a gender. It wouldn’t be wrong to call Saoirse handsome and Timothée beautiful. Both have a slightly androgynous quality that makes them perfect for these characters.”

Alongside Watson, Ronan, Pugh and Scanlen as the March sister, Timothée Chalamet (Laybird) will appear as Theodore ‘Laurie’ Laurence, Meryl Streep as Aunt March, James Norton as John Brook, and Laura Dern (Big Little Lies) as Marmee March. Greta Gerwig’s intriguing new take on the Christmas classic, Little Women is due to be released December 25th 2019 in America and January 17th 2020 in the UK, and we can’t wait to see it!