Felicity Jones may have faced the full might of the Galactic Empire, but her new film represents an even bigger challenge: getting a Brooklyn accent right.
The British-born Star Wars actor is set to play Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the indefatigable lawyer who became one of the first female judges in the Supreme Court, in new biopic On The Basis of Sex.
A trailer released yesterday (July 16) shows her in action, alongside Call Me By Your Name‘s Armie Hammer who plays Ruth’s husband Marty Ginsburg, and a supporting cast that includes Kathy Bates, Justin Theroux, and Sam Waterston.
The film depicts a landmark case, in which Ginsburg argued in favor of fathers’ rights before the Supreme Court and struck a major blow against gender discrimination.
It’s the second film this year to focus on the life and career of Ginsburg. The first, RGB, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January and opened in theaters soon after. It’s also the first film in nearly 10 years by Mimi Leder, who came to prominence as the director of 1998’s Deep Impact, but in recent years has flourished on the small screen with shows like Shameless and The Leftovers.
And then there’s Felicity, who’s been rather quiet since a jam-packed 2016 saw her star in action film Collide, weepy A Monster Calls, and Da Vinci Code sequel Inferno, as well as the Star Wars spin-off Rogue One. This role could bag her another Oscars nom, if her accent can convince, that is.
On the Basis of Sex opens in theaters this December 25, 2018.
What do you think of Felicity’s Brooklyn accent?