Production on On the Basis of Sex, the biopic of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, has begun, and we finally have a look at Star Wars actress Felicity Jones as the badass feminist icon.
Photo: Universal Pictures.
Ginsberg, 84, was the second ever female justice to be confirmed to the Supreme Court, by President Bill Clinton in 1993.
She’s one of the most formidable advocates for gender equality and women’s rights in the history of the United States, having spent a lifetime fighting against discrimination.
This new film tells the story of Ginsburg as a young lawyer, who brings a successful discrimination case before the Supreme Court. (In the 1970s, when Ginsburg was c0-founder and director of the Women’s Rights Project, she won five of the six cases she argued before an all-male Supreme Court.)
The script, penned by Ginsburg’s nephew Daniel Stieplemen, has been sitting around for some time, finding itself on the 2014 blacklist of favourite but not-yet-developed scripts. At one time, Natalie Portman‘s name was attached.
However, Jones was announced to replace Portman earlier this year, joining Armie Hammer (who will co-star as Ginsburg’s husband Martin, also her legal partner on the case) in the film.
It was also announced today that Justin Theroux, Oscar-winner Kathy Bates, Jack Reynor, Stephen Root and Cailee Spaeny have all joined the project.
In a statement, director Mimi Leder said:
“Our story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg resonates with me on so many levels – from the inspiring partnership she found in her marriage, to overcoming adversity as a woman and discovering the strength of her own voice, to her empathetic commitment to those in need of a voice no matter their gender, race, status or religious beliefs. In these tumultuous times, stories like this speak to the heart of humanity and remind us what it means to lead with love and compassion as the way forward.”
It’s set to premiere in 2018, in order to coincide with Ginsburg’s 25th year on the Supreme Court.
