2018 marked a big year for Cailee Spaeny. She had major roles in sci-fi “Pacific Rim Uprising” and thriller “Bad Times at the El Royale.” Two of her films released last year remain in theaters: Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic “On the Basis of Sex” and “Vice,” the story of Dick Cheney.
The former sees Spaeny plays Jane, Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg’s daughter, who motivates her mother to make tough decisions, further inspiring her to enter the world of women’s rights. Directed by Mimi Leder and starring Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux, and Kathy Bates, “On the Basis of Sex” shows Ginsburg’s journey through law school, her years as a professor at Rutgers University, and her work on a landmark 1972 discrimination case that changed U.S. history.
Already in limited release, “On the Basis of Sex” opens nationwide on January 11.
We talked to Spaeny about her work on the film and its impact on both her and its audience.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
W&H: What was it like when you got the script for “On the Basis of Sex?” It’s a role and film with real social significance.
CS: I was surprised that I had never heard this story. I was shocked that no one had talked to me about Ruth Bader Ginsburg because she’s such a huge role model for young girls and women. I had heard her name but not her story, so now I’m excited to have other young people hear it. I had such a fire lit up in me when I read the script — and even more so when I saw the film. I want to scream on every rooftop so that every woman and man will go see this movie.
A lot was happening during the production of this film. The Harvey Weinstein allegations came out during filming, which was a big wake up call for all of us. That became a big topic of conversation on the set. Then during press for the film when it was about to come out, Dr. Ford came out and told her story against Brett Kavanaugh. Then the midterms happened, and I was voting for the first time. It was a real whirlwind.
I went head-first diving into politics so now I’m really glad that people are hearing this particular story. They should have hope and know there is optimism because we need that right now. There are days I wake up, and I’m down in the dumps and think nothing will ever change. So, it’s important to hear stories like the one told in “On the Basis of Sex,” about a woman who trail blazed through all these no’s and had doors getting slammed in her face. She faced impossible odds, and she found hope and made things happen. Hearing a true story about someone who is still alive and making a difference today is something we all need to hear.
W&H: Did you get a chance to meet either Jane or Ruth Bader Ginsburg during the making of this film?
CS: I never got to meet either of them but Daniel Stiepleman, the writer of the script, is Ruth’s nephew. We would take family photos on the set and send them to Ruth. I was talking to him after the premiere to get a feel of how I did and if people liked it, and he said, “I’m sorry, I never told you this story, but after Jane and Ruth saw the movie with some friends, one of the friends asked Ruth if Jane was really like that as a teenager. And Ruth went, ‘Yes, she was.'” Hearing that made me smile. I’m hoping to meet them soon.
W&H: You worked with some incredible women on “On the Basis of Sex,” from director Mimi Leder to Felicity Jones who plays RBG to Kathy Bates who plays civil rights lawyer Dorothy Kenyon. What were some of your most memorable experiences from working with them?
CS: You never know what you’re going to get whenever you’re walking on a star-studded set like this. It’s nerve-racking, especially for me, who’s very new to the industry. So, I didn’t know what to expect. But seeing someone like Kathy, and Mimi, women who don’t take no for an answer, was really inspiring. They were always working really hard, but they’re also super kind people. I think sometimes people see being kind as a weakness. If you’re a woman and you are kind, people will walk all over you. But they were kind, had their shit together, and made things happen. That was really inspiring to see.
Having an equal number of women on the set also felt how it should be. It doesn’t feel weird or off whenever there is more women or equal amounts of women. It was really inspiring to be among this group of women and I hope that one day I will be doing the kind of work they do.
W&H: I love the way Jane is depicted as pushing her mother to be more. When Ruth gets kicked down, she tells her to get up. How did it feel to play a character like her?
CS: Because I didn’t meet Jane, I had to take it into my own [mind and hands]. I knew she was a real person, and I didn’t want to go outside the boundaries. I wanted to stay true to who she is, and it felt good to have Daniel on the set.
I do relate to Jane. There are a lot of angry women out there who need to have their voices heard right now, who are out on the streets marching and want to shout out from the rooftops and are tired of holding it all back. So, getting to play a girl who was around my age who was so passionate about something that was so important taught me a lot.
The mother-daughter relationship was also relatable. We all have complex relationships with our mothers, and it’s not something we think about with RBG. She’s a mother who had the same fights with her own daughter, and she had a husband. We don’t think of these moments because we tend to think of her as a superhero figure. But she was a hands-on mother and loving wife and juggled everything very well.
Daniel said that when he was working on the script, he asked Jane if she ever felt neglected. She said that she would have loved to feel neglected. They were all pushing her to shoot for the moon. She’s a professor now.
W&H: What is it like to be a female working in the film industry in 2019, particularly in the dawn of #MeToo and #TimesUp?
CS: I’ve always felt at ease on a set, and I think that’s because of the women who went before me, who made sure I shouldn’t have to feel uncomfortable at work. I obviously think we have a long way to go, and I will be right there to tell my stories and stand up for people and all the issues still going on today. But I do think we have made a lot of progress and also that there has been a huge transition to get us to this point.
W&H: What are you working on now?
CS: “Devs,” an FX miniseries written and directed by Alex Garland, [who made “Annihilation”]. I just had the U.S. shoot, and it’s set to air fall or winter 2019.
