Thursday, February 6, 2020

Streep as Lilly Ledbetter?

For possibly the first time in the history of my blog, I deleted a post. Just a few minutes ago, I had posted about today's news from the Hollywood Reporter that Meryl had decided to co-produce the film Lilly, a biopic on Lilly Ledbetter, set to be directed by Rachel Feldman. Ledbetter is known for suing her employer, Goodyear, for equal pay.

Cut to me only realizing after I published the post that Ledbetter's fight against her employer was not in the late 70s like I had originally thought (when she would've been around 40), but in 2007, when she was closer to 70. I was under the impression that Meryl couldn't realistically portray Ledbetter in a film about her equal pay fight, but now I can't imagine how she won't!

The Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009 was the first piece of legislation President Obama signed after his inauguration. Ledbetter won her suit against Goodyear, but it was appealed all the way up to the Supreme Court, where she ended up losing. The move by Congress to enact the new statute in the aftermath of the Supreme Court decision adjusted the timeline for filing sex discrimination suits.

Evidently the film, originally under the working title Ledbetter, was sort of lying development stasis. Maybe Meryl is lending some financial support and also "offering" to play the title role. Biopic, women's equality--seems right up Streep's ally. I wonder if it might seem a little bit too much like Silkwood, however. Ultimately though, if the script is good enough, I can totally see Meryl starring in this. 


5 comments:

  1. Seems like something that would be very much in HBO's "TV movie" wheelhouse - that is not a criticism, think "Grey Gardens" or "Confirmation" - which I love! Hope she stars in it!

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    1. Yeah I wonder. Will be interesting to see if it 1) actually gets made, 2) who stars in the title role and 3) where it lands.

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    2. I keep hoping Meryl gets a project that really challenges her acting brilliance. She needs a 4th Oscar to level Ms. Hepburn.

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    3. From your lips to God's ears. Doesn't anyone else think it's weird that Meryl is only announced as "producing" this film?? Like, she's going to produce this film just to have Sissy Spacek star in it? Maybe...but doubt it.

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    4. Agreed that it would unusual if Meryl had not already been offered the part! However, I have a theory that its production timetable conflicts with something we don't yet know about!

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