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On the Basis of Sex tells the story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's earlier years at Harvard Law School through to a groundbreaking tax case that ultimately overturned a century of gender discrimination. The start of her career is certainly in the spotlight here, but so is the importance of family. It's something that runs through the veins of this entire story, highlighting the extremely loving and supportive relationship shared by Ginsburg and her husband Martin (Armie Hammer). The success of that portion of the film really comes as no surprise because, who better to write a screenplay about such a beautiful marriage than Ruth and Marty's nephew, Daniel Stiepleman?

With On the Basis of Sex hitting select theaters on December 25th, I got the chance to chat with Stiepleman about getting his aunt's blessing to write the screenplay and then what it was like bringing that story to screen. Check out what he told me about that, deciding to keep the film focused on just one case, the importance of putting the spotlight on Marty and Ruth's marriage, Cailee Spaeny's performance as their daughter Jane, and one very important thing he walked away from this production with on his mind. (That last bit is a truly special thought that'll certainly weigh heavily on my mind from now on as well.)

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Image via Focus Features

You can catch all of that in the video interview at the top of this article and if you're looking for even more On the Basis of Sex coverage, click here to check out the trailer and here to read my review of the film.

Here’s the official synopsis for On the Basis of Sex:

The film tells an inspiring and spirited true story that follows young lawyer Ruth Bader Ginsburg as she teams with her husband Marty to bring a groundbreaking case before the U.S. Court of Appeals and overturn a century of gender discrimination. The feature will premiere in 2018 in line with Justice Ginsburg’s 25th anniversary on the Supreme Court.

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Image via Focus Features
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Image via Focus Features

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Image via Focus Features