Even when the recognition is given decades late, it is only just that the historical figures who have positively contributed to social progress are given the credit that they deserve and cinema can be the perfect platform to do so. 'On the Basis of Sex', which comes out in cinemas on Friday, is a film which addresses this matter of justice more than ever: it is based on the real life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (played by Felicity Jones), a lawyer who changed the course of history with one gender discrimination case which opened the gateway to Tribunal equality. Armie Hammer, who plays the part of Bader Ginsburg's husband, gives more details about the film in this exclusive interview.
Hammer portrays a man who went against the traditional concept of masculinity and chose to dedicate more time to his domestic life: "Martin is such an interesting character because he subverted all of the generally accepted gender rules at the time [...] He was the one who spent most of the time cook and caring for the kids and doing all that stuff which was not something men at the time did." The actor also described the difficulty of playing a real person, a challenge which he said he enjoyed.
The Real Story
The actor praised the great landmark that the ex-Harvard Student made in the history of court justice, saying: "Before Ruth Bader Ginsburg and after were very different places in terms of gender equality. Not just for women." He said that he hopes the film would inspire people coming to the cinema to think about the way in which they themselves could change a small part of the world for their children, which is what Bader Ginsburg aimed to do in her own life. "She continues her legacy of that fight", Hammer declared.
He also described when the cast travelled to Washington D.C. in order to meet Ruth Ginsburg, who now works as a judge in the Supreme Court. She gave Hammer a book of her husband's favourite recipes with which the actor then prepared a dinner for cast and crew in Martin Ginsberg's honour.
'On the Basis of Sex' comes to cinemas on 22nd February.
