What an amazing end to 2014 and start to 2015 British actress Felicity Jones has had. Her role as Jane Hawking in ‘The Theory of Everything’ gained her a Golden Globe-nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Drama, and it her nomination for an Oscar in the same category has just been announced. Our fingers are crossed for her.
With a lot of promise in the young actresses future, here are 5 things to help you get to know Felicity Jones that little bit better.
Felicity Jones in Dolce&Gabbana by Mariano Vivanco on Elle Uk, March 2012 issue
What’s she made of?
Born October 17 1983, Felicity Rose Hadley Jones grew up in Bournville, the suburb of Birmingham which world famous Cadbury’s chocolate is synonymous with. She was raised by her mother, who, along with Felicity’s uncle Michael Hadley, encouraged her to pursue acting. She began at an after-school workshop at the age of 11, which was funded by Central Television. If you’re a late-90s British kid then you’ll know her as the school bull Ethel Hallow from ‘The Worst Witch’ and ‘Weirdsister College’, who Felicity played until 2002. After this, she switched took on roles in other various Brit shows and shorts, most memorably as Margot Frank in a mini-series based on The Diary of Anne Frank, which aired in 2009. In 2008, however, she got her first movie role in a film with Daniel Craig and singer Eve, followed by another in ‘Brideshead Revisited’ with Matthew Goode and Hayley Atwell. Come 2010, her stars had started to line up.
Where will we have seen her?
In 2010 she starred opposite Christian Cooke and Tom Hughs in Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant’s film ‘Cemetery Junction’, a 1970s comedy set in Reading. It just so happened that this was quickly followed by another 70s set film ‘Soulboy’ and looked at the Northern Soul underground scene.
It was her role as Miranda in Julie Taymor’s Oscar-nominated film ‘The Tempest’ that helped put her name on the map, and the following year she starred in experimental, improvised film ‘Like Crazy’ by Drake Doremus.
This film was another important step for Jones, doing the rounds at major film festivals and highlighting her as a skilled actress to watch. She didn’t disappoint and the last few years have seen her take roles in critically acclaimed films, such as ‘Albatross’ (2011), ‘Breathe In’(2013), the Oscar-nominated ‘The Invisible Woman’ by Ralph Fiennes, and ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 2’ which was released in 2014.
But, as you know, it is her part in the incredibly bold and touching telling of the story of Stephen Hawking, which has gained Felicity and co-star Eddie Redmayne sudden stardom, all over the world. The film focuses on the relationship of Stephen and Jane Hawking, and the tests their love goes through as Stephen’s ALS / motor neurone disease. Needless to say it has become THE film to watch this year so far, and is going to the Oscars 2015.
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Wasn’t Felicity also a famous voice of radio?
Yes, you’re not wrong there. She was the voice of Emma Grundy from 1999 right through until 2009 on the long-running radio drama The Archers.
Felicity Jones wearing a Dolce&Gabbana gown from the SS2015 collection
Is there someone special on the scene?
In 2013, her 10-year relationship with artist Ed Fornieles sadly came to an end, and since then, Felicity has been reported saying that getting back into the dating game has been much more awkward than she expected it to be. So, guys, don’t be too pushy.
What’s next for Felicity Jones?
Coming up before the end of January is Rupert Goold’s debut film ‘True Story’ based on the memoirs of Michael Finkel and his relationship Christian Longo, an FBI Most Wanted List murderer. Felicity Jones plays the lead role of Jill and stars alongside James Franco and Jonah Hill, who play Christian Longo and Michael Finkel respectively.
Then comes the thriller ‘Autobahn’ about an American Backpacker who gets involved with a ring of drug smugglers, putting him on the run from his employers on the motorways of Munich. Jones is joined by Nicholas Hoult and Anthony Hopkins, and it is directed by BAFTA-nominated director Eran Creevy.
Then, penned in for 2016, is ‘A Monster Calls’ about a boy who seeks help from a tree monster to help cope with his mum, Felicity Jones, who suffers from a terminal illness. It comes from J.A. Bayona, the director who brought us the outstanding ‘The Impossible’, and who has been announced as the director of ‘World War Z 2’. Also rumoured is her role in ‘The Amazing Spider-Man 3’ as Felicia, and also in Ron Howard’s upcoming film ‘Inferno’ which is said to have Tom Hanks onboard. So, in a nutshell, you’ll be seeing a lot from Felicity Jones in the coming years and we couldn’t be happier.