NEW YORK (AP) — The movie “Lilly,” which tells the story of the iconic figure known for her fight for equal pay,

Lilly Ledbetter

lands in theaters during a challenging period for her primary political and civil rights advocates.

Many are gone or out of power, their hopes of building on Ledbetter’s legacy interrupted by a more fundamental fight over President Donald Trump’s

reshuffle of civil rights organizations

.

It’s difficult not to flashforward to the present as the most famous of those supporters appear in interspersed documentary footage: the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former first lady Michelle Obama and former President Barack Obama, who signed

The 2009 Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

, which strengthened the right of workers to sue for pay discrimination.

Less familiar is Jocelyn Samuels, portrayed prominently by Deirdre Lovejoy. At the time, Samuels served as an executive at the National Women’s Law Center, where she helped guide Ledbetter through Capitol Hill during their lobbying efforts for the legislation. Presently, Samuels holds the position of one of two Democratic commissioners removed from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by Trump—a move considered an unprecedented assertion of power.

fighting in a lawsuit

.

Ledbetter died in October at the age of 86. The following month, Trump’s election all but dashed Democratic hopes for passage any time soon of the

more comprehensive Paycheck Fairness Act

, which Ledbetter championed and would, among other measures, strengthen the ability of the EEOC to investigate pay discrimination.

Patricia Clarkson, who stars as Ledbetter in “Lilly,” doesn’t shy away from the politics of the film, directed by Rachel Feldman. The Academy Award-nominee

shared the red carpet with Clinton

, who made a surprise appearance at the film’s May 7 premier in New York City. She often recalls how her own mother,

the late former Louisiana state legislator Jackie Clarkson

, wept with happiness upon discovering her daughter would perform Ledbetter.

During an interview with The Associated Press, Clarkson highlighted that the political aspect serves as a significant background to what audiences should primarily recall: the fortitude of a woman who remained largely unrecognized for much of her career as an unseen working mom. It wasn’t until she received an anonymous message revealing that her male counterparts were earning substantially larger salaries for performing identical duties that she chose to take action against this disparity.

The discussion has been condensed and clarified for brevity.

A: How did you get ready for your part? I know you didn’t meet Lilly Ledbetter, and that this was a deliberate decision.

A: I tend to adopt others’ behaviors quite readily, which made me worry that meeting Lilly might lead me to mimic or portray her instead of being myself. It became clear to me that she deserved nothing less than the finest from me both professionally and personally. To achieve this, one must present their most genuine self—mentally, emotionally, and physically—and that’s impossible when constantly overshadowed by someone else’s strong influence. Given how significant Lilly has been in my life, bringing our interaction down to earth required grounding her into everyday reality for me.

Did you look into her writings or her speeches?

A: I considered a specific quantity… However, I desired her emotional existence to always be forefront… This is crucial since change can be difficult and individuals often endure hardships when battling against inequality…. I wasn’t concerned with gestures; I simply wished for her internal conflict and perseverance to be evident.

It surely must have been challenging to predict just how distinct the political landscape would become upon the film’s release.

A: I both dreamed about and aspired to participate in a press tour alongside Lilly. Being with this incredible person would have been the peak experience of my life… yet she passed away. However, perhaps this movie is most relevant at this moment since it encourages viewers to believe in achieving great things.

Is it a tougher political environment for a movie of this kind?

A: I understand the Democrats supported her, but here’s what you should know: Lily wasn’t truly immersed in politics, which was something I consistently emphasized… Indeed, she addressed the (Democratic National Convention), yet had she received an invitation, she also would’ve spoken at the (Republican National Convention). Fair compensation knows no party lines—be they red, blue, or purple—and doesn’t differentiate between north, south, east, or west. This principle mattered greatly to her.

Q: You also recently starred in ‘She Said,’ the 2022 film about the New York Times’ uncovering of the sexual assault allegations against

Harvey Weinstein

. What are the parallels with ‘Lilly’?

A: It’s all of a piece. It’s a mindset of certain men we have had to work with, either in Hollywood or in the workforce … Hollywood’s come a long way because I’ve been in it since 1985, and I’ve spoken about this. We used to meet male producers and directors in hotel rooms and actors in hotel rooms, and we all thought that was fine. We were paid less throughout. I was paid less throughout the whole beginning of my career.

Q: If there’s one thing that you want the audience to take away about Lilly, what would it be?

A: She got back up, and you should be a proud American when you watch her.

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