The Notorious Ruth Bader Ginsburg Is Getting A Biopic, And She'll Be Played By Felicity Jones
Felicity Jones will take her battles from the cosmos to the courtroom in a biopic about Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
The Rogue One: A Star Wars story actress is set to don the robes of the notorious feminist icon in the biographical film On the Basis of Sex, taking over the role from Natalie Portman, who was originally set to play Ginsburg.
Jones is in talks to star in On the Basis of Sex, the biopic following Ginsburg as she fights for equal rights through her entire law career from Harvard University, to Columbia Law School, and finally, the Supreme Court. According to The Hollywood Reporter, which confirmed the news first reported by Deadline, Jones is stepping into the role after Natalie Portman, who was attached to the project since 2015, bowed out.
Though Portman isn't playing the starring role anymore, she still had a big influence on the film, insisting on bringing on a female director to helm the film about Ginsburg's struggle against gender discrimination as she becomes a leading feminist voice. In February, Portman tapped director Mimi Leder, known for her work on HBO's The Leftovers and Showtime's Shameless.
Leder is set to direct Jones in the film written by Daniel Stiepleman. Robert W. Cort is producing On the Basis of Sex, along with Participant Media. Focus Features will distribute the movie.
Ginsberg became the second female justice after Sandra Day O'Connor when she was appointed to the Supreme Court in 1993 by then-President Bill Clinton. Before and after she held a seat at the Supreme Court, she has become known as a powerful advocate for women's rights — and recently, has become an idol for young feminists, who dub her "The Notorious RGB."
The script for On the Basis of Sex originally landed on the 2014 Black List, which is what caught Portman's attention. A Jewish actress, she was presumably drawn to the movie about the first Jewish female justice. While she's no longer starring, Portman is a powerful voice in Hollywood, recently stepping into the director's chair for the first time for A Tale of Love and Darkness, and — as we saw in this case — becoming more vocal about hiring women behind the scenes. I hope that Portman can step into a producer role for this film.
As for Felicity Jones, she is more than up to the task of donning Ginsburg's notorious robes and lace gloves. An Oscar-nominated actress for The Theory of Everything and a certified badass who can headline a blockbuster with Rogue One, Jones is one of the most promising rising stars out there right now.