Julie Cohen & Betsy West on Their Film “RBG”

BETSY WEST: Well, it’s very gratifying. I mean, the fact that audiences have responded to our story about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg makes us so happy because we think, really, her story deserves to be told. She’s one of the most important women in our country and a lot of people didn’t know what she did to help all women achieve equality.

JULIE COHEN, PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR, “RBG”: There’s been this perception for so long, you know, particularly in the motion picture world that the only thing that’s interesting about a woman is when she’s in her 20s and what she looks like and what she’s wearing. Here is a woman who is tiny, who is 85 and who is known primarily for her intellect and yet, audiences are responding and want to go into theaters to hear what she has to say. That feels pretty cool.

CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR: What was the process? How did you get access? Because Supreme Court justices are normally fairly reticent, they’re not out there, you know, posing for documentaries and other such things.

COHEN: That’s absolutely right. In fact, this is the first documentary that’s been made about a sitting Supreme Court justice. And when we approached Ruth Bader Ginsburg with the idea that we might make a full documentary telling her life story, this was back in January of 2015, her initial response was, “Not yet.” But Betsy and I kind of took a page out of the RBG playbook of patience, persistence and kind of step by step fighting for what you want and basically kept at it.

AMANPOUR: Yes. I mean, is it extraordinary and you got access not just to her speeches and you followed her on the road but at home and inside the Supreme Court.

WEST: Yes. I mean, we did the final interview with her in the Supreme Court and we were able to do some steady cam filming in the actual chamber, which is unusual to be able to get in there. Obviously, there are no cameras in the courtroom when the proceedings are going on. And, you know, about a year into filming, we asked for a meeting with her and that’s when we said, “Hey, can we feel new in your home, meeting with some family, you know, in your office and also, could we go with you to see your legendary gym workout.” And we were very, very happy that she said yes.

AMANPOUR: We have great pictures, obviously, the gym workout, so — as you’re describing it.

COHEN: Yes. One of the most fascinating days of our filmmaking lines, I would say. Betsy and I were crouched in the corner while Justice Ginsburg was being put through the paces by her incredible personal trainer, Brian Johnson, whose other life includes doing fitness training for members of the army. Yet, he says that RBG is really the toughest person that he’s ever worked with in terms of working out. There’s just nothing he asked her to do that she won’t go along with. And Betsy and I watched this whole routine. When we came out of that room, our initial response was — well, first of all, oh, my God, and also, we’ve got to up our game.