America Ferrera shadowed Greta Gerwig on the set of Barbie to learn more about directing a feature film.

In early February, it was announced that the Barbie actress had signed up to direct her first feature, a movie adaptation of the coming-of-age novel I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.

While she directed episodes of TV shows Superstore and Gentefied, America used her time on the set of Barbie to learn from Greta about helming a feature.

“I knew I was going to direct before I did Barbie and Greta was so gracious, she was like, ‘You can be anywhere you want to be,'” America recalled on the WTF with Marc Maron podcast. “I sat in on her and (cinematographer) Rodrigo Prieto shotlisting the movie, to sit there and listen to these two geniuses talk about how they’re gonna shoot the movie (was amazing).

“I sat in visual effects meetings, special effects meetings, just all of it. I sat next to her at the monitor and got to watch her and it was so great, what an incredible opportunity to shadow her.”

America added that Greta happily answered her questions and shared her insights into filmmaking.

“I think she would be happy to talk about movies all day every day, she was such a open book and loved talking to me about it,” she said.

While the Oscar nominee’s debut was only announced recently, she explained to host Marc that she has been involved its development for “a number of years”.

“(I’ve been) shaping it and also finding the right studio and home for it,” she shared. “So we’re in it, we’re in the process. Fingers crossed that gets made soon.”

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