Director Mimi Leder discusses On the Basis of Sex

December 16, 2018

DGA Q&As in New York and Los Angeles

The true story of the rise to fame of future Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is revealed in Director Mimi Leder’s new biographical drama, On the Basis of Sex.

Leder’s film details the early days of Ginsburg’s (Felicity Jones) fight for equal rights for women when, as a new mother and an attorney struggling in a male-dominated field, she takes on a groundbreaking case with her husband Marty (Armie Hammer) that she knows could forever change the way the courts and the United States view gender discrimination.

Following the DGA membership screening in New York on December 15, Leder sat down with Director Bette Gordon (The Drowning) to discuss the making of On the Basis of Sex. She also discussed the film in a conversation moderated by Director Sacha Gervasi (My Dinner with Hervé) following the DGA screening in Los Angeles on December 8.

In addition to On the Basis of Sex, Leder’s credits include the feature films Pay It Forward, Deep Impact and The Peacemaker; the movies for television The Quinn-tuplets, Baby Brokers and House of Secrets; the pilot for the series Vanished, Jonny Zero and John Doe; and episodes of the series The Leftovers, Shameless, Almost Human, The West Wing, China Beach, and L.A. Law. She is a three-time nominee for the DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series for her ER episodes “The Healers,” “Loves Labour Lost” and “Blizzard” and won a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Directing for a Drama Series for “Love’s Labour Lost.”

A DGA member since 1985, Leder also serves on the Western Independent Directors Committee, the Television Creative Rights Committee and has served on the DGA Negotiating Committee and the National Board.

You can listen to Leder's Q&A by clicking the podcast episode embedded below. You can find more DGA podcast episodes here.

Pictures

Event photos by Marcie Revens (New York) and Byron Gamarro (Los Angeles) - Print courtesy of Focus Features.

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Director Mimi Leder speaks about the making of her new biographical drama, On the Basis of Sex, following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.

Felicity Jones as Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Director Mimi Leder’s On the Basis of Sex.

Director Mimi Leder speaks about the making of her new biographical drama, On the Basis of Sex, following the DGA membership screening in New York.

Director Mimi Leder speaks about the making of On the Basis of Sex with Director Sacha Gervasi (moderator) following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.

Armie Hammer as Marty Ginsburg in Director Mimi Leder’s On the Basis of Sex.

Director Mimi Leder speaks about the making of On the Basis of Sex with Director Bette Gordon (moderator) following the DGA membership screening in New York.

Director Sacha Gervasi (moderator) asks Director Mimi Leder a question about the making of Leder’s new biographical drama, On the Basis of Sex, following the DGA membership screening in Los Angeles.

Felicity Jones as Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Director Mimi Leder’s On the Basis of Sex.

Director Bette Gordon (moderator) asks Director Mimi Leder a question about the making of Leder’s new biographical drama, On the Basis of Sex, following the DGA membership screening in New York.

Felicity Jones as Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Armie Hammer as Marty Ginsburg in Director Mimi Leder’s On the Basis of Sex.

A member of the DGA New York Theater audience asks Director Mimi Leder a question about the making of Leder’s new biographical drama, On the Basis of Sex.

Directors Mimi Leder and Sacha Gervasi (moderator) pose for a photo following the Los Angeles DGA membership screening of Leder’s new biographical drama, On the Basis of Sex.

Felicity Jones as Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Cailee Spaeny as Jane Ginsburg and Kathy Bates as Dorothy Kenyon in Director Mimi Leder’s On the Basis of Sex.

Directors Mimi Leder and Bette Gordon (moderator) pose for a photo following the New York DGA membership screening of Leder’s new biographical drama, On the Basis of Sex.

Director Mimi Leder chats with a member of the audience following the Los Angeles DGA membership screening of her new biographical drama, On the Basis of Sex.

Director Mimi Leder chats with a member of the audience following the New York DGA membership screening of her new biographical drama, On the Basis of Sex.

Armie Hammer as Marty Ginsburg and Felicity Jones as Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Director Mimi Leder’s On the Basis of Sex.

Director Mimi Leder poses with a DGA Los Angeles lobby display photo of herself at work on the set of The Leftovers following the screening of her new biographical drama, On the Basis of Sex.

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