If you've seen "Lady Bird," you likely remember the romantic scene between Christine "Lady Bird" McPherson and her boyfriend, Danny O'Neill, at Sacramento's McKinley Rose Garden.
Turns out that scene isn't completely fictional, and neither are many of the characters in the film.
Danny is loosely based off Connor Mickiewicz, director Greta Gerwig's high school boyfriend. The two dated while at Jesuit and St. Francis High Schools, respectively.
The two were involved with many shows at the Sierra 2 Center in Curtis Park where St. Francis held many of their theater performances before having their own performing arts center.
"Greta and I actually met doing a show here when she was a freshman," said Mickiewicz. "That was my first introduction to Greta really... I fell in love with her here... on the stage."
If you've seen the film, you know why it didn't work out. But, the two are still close friends.
"The relationship between Lady Bird and Danny may be loosely based off some interactions we had," he said with a smirk.
When production for "Lady Bird" began in Sacramento, Gerwig asked Mickiewicz to help with the musical scenes.
"She sent a PDF of the script almost three years ago in March 2015," said Mickiewicz. "Obviously, I could see some similarities. It's a fictional story, but [there were] Easter eggs maybe only our Sacramento friends could recognize."
Mickiewicz said it's "trippy" to see the cast dressed in 2002 St. Francis and Jesuit uniforms: The 'ill-fitting khakis.'
But he said he didn't realize how well-received the film would be until after he and his sister went to the screening at the New York Film Festival.
"I knew Sacramento would embrace [the film] immediately," said Mickiewicz. "Then being able to be on set and seeing her work with other actors. They were loving it, and how she worked with them was incredible."
Mickiewicz adds that the film has brought lots of blasts from the pasts.
"It's been fun," said Mickiewicz. "Pulling up old photos and reconnecting with people from Sacramento who have moved away."
Mickiewicz will be joining Gerwig at the Oscars this Sunday.
"I asked Greta, 'Hey, I was hoping that I could just experience some of what you're going through down in LA at some point. Just watch you from afar,'" Mickiewicz recalled his conversation with Gerwig.
To Mickiewicz's surprise, he said Gerwig invited him to to the Oscars.
"I'm like, 'Oh God!'," said Mickiewicz. "So I'm very excited. I'm so proud of her, just to be able to watch her celebrate regardless, but I think she's gonna win."