Get your Oscar watches set to BAIT as a new pair of stars join the already star-studded Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic, On The Basis of Sex. According to Deadline, The Leftovers star Justin Theroux and Misery star Kathy Bates have signed on to play roles in the historical drama.
Based on Ginsburg’s early years in the law, the film will follow her as she litigates the landmark case Reed v. Reed (1971) before the Supreme Court. The case, which involved gender bias when selecting estate administrators (very exciting I know), was decided in favor of the plaintiff, whom Ginsburg represented. It was the first ruling by the US Supreme Court to extend the Equal Protections of the 14th Amendment to women. The title of the film will come from Chief Justice Burger’s majority opinion: ” the [arbitrary legal] choice in this context may not lawfully be mandated solely on the basis of sex (emphasis added).
The film will star Felicity Jones (Rogue One) as Ruth Bader Ginsburg, with Armie Hammer (The Man From U.N.C.L.E) playing her legal partner and husband, Marty. The cast also includes Stephen Root (Get Out) and Sam Waterson (Law & Order)
Currently in production in Montreal, the film is set to release in 2018 to commemorate Justice Ginsburg’s 25th year on the Supreme Court.
