Birds of Prey director Cathy Yan reveals advice she got from Patty Jenkins

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Becoming a working director in Hollywood is an arduous journey fraught with frustration and setbacks. Even if you're immensely talented and hard working that doesn't necessarily translate into success. Hollywood chews up and spits out would be stars like tobacco. However, sometimes all that effort pays off and the door finally opens. You get that opportunity.

Such was the case with director Cathy Yan. Up until BIRDS OF PREY, Yan was noted moreso for her short films and the indie hit DEAD PIGS – her one and only feature film. Regardless, the people at Warner Bros. felt she was the right person to bring the story of Harley Quinn, Huntress, Black Canary, Renee Montoya, and Black Mask to the big screen. The film just recently had it's world premiere and if the trailers are any indication it promises to be a banging good time.

However, being handed the car keys to a major comicbook franchise isn't something Yan wasn't apprehensive about. I think it's only natural to be nervous when you go from working on movies with a modest budget to a $100 million film starring Margot Robbie. Not surprisingly, Yan reached out to fellow director Patty Jenkins for advice. Jenkins, who directed WONDER WOMAN and its upcoming sequel WONDER WOMAN 1984, knows a thing or two about directing comicbook films and advised Yan to trust her knowledge of the material:

“I had such institutional support from the get go. But at the same time, every day, I remember being very concerned about, like, I’ve never done this before. I actually called up [Wonder Woman director] Patty Jenkins during prep and I’m like, ‘What am I doing?’ She told me, ‘You’ve got to remember that no one knows this movie as much as you. That’s what makes you the director.’ And that was really, really helpful.”

Whether it's directing a major Hollywood movie or preparing for a college dissertation, I think we all feel those moments of doubt. No matter how confident we are in our abilities, there's that nagging voice asking, if we are good enough? Can we actually do this, whatever "this" might be? At these times it's invaluable to have a friend, family member, or colleague to say, "You got this!" It gives us perspective and makes us realize we are in that situation for a reason. It sounds like this was the case with Cathy Yan and Patty Jenkins. I for one am stoked to see how this all plays out.

BIRDS OF PREY starring Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee-Smollett Bell, Rosie Perez, and Ewan McGregor flies into theaters February 7, 2020.