Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Natalie Portman delayed Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic until a female director was approved

Actress claimed: 'There are not enough women in this industry'

Rose Troup Buchanan
Wednesday 17 June 2015 11:56 EDT
Comments
Portman reportedly refused to sign off until there was a female director in place
Portman reportedly refused to sign off until there was a female director in place (AFP)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Natalie Portman reportedly refused to sign off on a biopic of legendary US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg unless a woman was directing.

Ginsburg, 82, appointed to the Supreme Court in 1993, told MSNBC Portman had insisted that a woman direct – helping to secure director Marielle Heller in the role.

“Natalie Portman came to talk to me about this, and we had a very good conversation,” Ginsburg told her former clerk, California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu, at the American Constitution Society convention in Washington.

According to Ginsberg, Portman insisted: “‘I want the director to be a woman. There are not enough women in this industry. There are many talented out there.’

“And now they do have a woman director,” Ginsberg concluded.

(AP)

Heller, profiled at the beginning of this year by Variety as one of ‘10 Directors to Watch,’ recently debuted her film Diary of a Teenage Girl to broadly positive reviews.

The film, On the Basis of Sex, will broadly follow Ginsburg’s career – she was the second female Supreme Justice after Sandra Day O’Connor and the first Jewish woman to serve on the bench – but will focus on a sexual discrimination case in the 1970s.

Meanwhile, Portman, 34, has also debut her first venture as a director with A Tale of Love and Darkness earlier this year.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in