Two women who have portrayed Ruth Bader Ginsburg are remembering the late Supreme Court Justice following the news of her death. Kate McKinnon, who has played Ginsburg on Saturday Night Live numerous times, and Felicity Jones, who played the Brooklyn native in the 2018 biopic, On the Basis of Sex, have both issued statements about the life of the history-making judge.
“For so many of us, Justice Ginsburg was a real-life superhero: a beacon of hope, a warrior for justice, a robed crusader who saved the day time and again,” McKinnon said in a statement to multiple news outlets. “Playing her on SNL was a profound joy because I could always feel the overwhelming love and gratitude that the audience had for her. It was one of the great honors of my life to meet Justice Ginsburg, to shake her hand, and to thank her for her lifetime of service to this country.”
In 2018 on NPR, Ginsburg commented on McKinnon’s impersonation of her on SNL, and referenced the comedian’s catchphrase when playing her. “I like the actress who portrayed me. I’d like to say ‘Gins-burn’ sometimes to my colleagues.”
British Oscar nominee Jones mirrored the sentiment in her own statement to 360APROKO. “Ruth Bader Ginsburg gave us hope, a public figure who stood for integrity and justice – a responsibility she did not wear lightly,” she said. She will be missed not only as a beacon of light in these difficult times but for her razor-sharp wit and extraordinary humanity. She taught us all so much. I will miss her deeply.”
Ginsburg had casting approval for Jones in the film and was also closely involved with the movie’s storyline.
“She was involved in every phase, gave meticulous notes on every draft,” Jones told IndieWire in 2018.
Ginsburg died at the age of 87 on Friday after a lengthy battle with metastatic pancreatic cancer.
