Gerwig like Sevigny, says director

Greta Gerwig is as "brilliant" as Chloe Sevigny, director Whit Stillman has said.

The 60-year-old filmmaker, who directed Chloe in The Last Days Of Disco, got to work with Greta on Damsels In Distress, and said he saw similar qualities in both actresses, who are nine years apart.

"It was uncanny and I think with our preferences in hair and make-up we made them look even more alike," he said.

"I like them both, I feel very close to both of them and they are both brilliant actresses who create characters who sort of live on the screen. Both Chloe and Greta have a quality where they exist on screen in an interesting way."

Damsels In Distress marks Whit's directorial return after a 13-year break, and he admitted he had no idea about his cast, which also included The OC's Adam Brody.

"I didn't really know anyone in the cast before we started. I didn't know anything about them because I'd been living in Europe for 10 years," he explained.

Whit joked that he became Adam's bodyguard: "When we went to the Venice Film Festival, where Damsels In Distress was shown on the closing night, Adam was mobbed with female fans.

"I got to be his security guard, pulling people away because he's too nice a guy and will never leave a group of people who want autographs or whatever. I think I need to bulk up and go to the gym and get one of those earpieces to be a better security guard."

:: Damsels In Distress is out on DVD on August 20, courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.