'Lady Bird' gets censored for Australian release

For a country which throws around the c-word like it's going out of fashion, Australians won't be able to hear it said in the critically-acclaimed Lady Bird.

Greta Gerwig's Oscar-nominated film has been cut by Universal Pictures to satisfy an M rating in the country, replacing the word "c**t" with "cooze" and removing some explicit nudity, as noted first by Facebook page Media Censorship in Australia.

That's compared to the U.S., where the film has been given an R rating by the MPAA.

As noted by Filmink, who contacted the Australian Classification Board for clarification, Lady Bird was initially rated MA 15+ on Jan. 23, which means that it can only be seen by people above the age of 15, or those under with a parent or guardian.

The Board told the magazine that a scene involving pornographic magazine Playgirl was the reason for the higher rating.

A modified version of the film with a tweaked version of that scene was resubmitted, and on Jan. 30 it was given an M rating, a lighter, advisory classification that legally allows those under the age of 15 to watch it.

A spokesperson for the Board stressed to the magazine that it "does not ‘cut’ or modify films. The production company or distributor of a film may decide to make a modification to a film and re-submit it for classification in order to obtain a particular rating and consumer advice."

Given the film's immense hype, it might simply be a case of ensuring more people see it via a lighter rating.

Mashable has contacted Universal Pictures for comment.