Felicity Jones Before ‘Rogue One’: 5 Roles to Know
Felicity Jones as Jyn Erso in the ‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’ trailer
The first trailer for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story makes it clear that Felicity Jones, front and center as Jyn Erso, is about to become an even bigger star.
Jones, 32, already has an Academy Award nomination for her 2014 role as Stephen Hawking’s wife, Jane Wilde Hawking, in The Theory of Everything. But her name recognition is sure to take a galactic leap after a lead role in a Star Wars film.
How did Jones get here? We’ve picked five of her most notable past performances to help you get more familiar with her work before Rogue One hits theaters in December.
Northanger Abbey (2007) as Catherine Morland
Jones’s resume, especially in her early years, is peppered with the sort of roles one expects of a young British actor: a Brideshead Revisited character here, guest spots on Doctor Who there, and this, a lead role in a Jane Austen adaptation that originally aired on the U.K.’s ITV and was later broadcast in the U.S. on PBS’s Masterpiece. Her performance in Northanger Abbey, in which she co-starred alongside fellow up-and-comer Carey Mulligan, established her as an actor worth watching.
Cemetery Junction (2010) as Julie Kendrick
This coming-of-age story written by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant ambles a bit too much for its own good. But even in a supporting role, Jones exudes a natural, luminous quality that can’t be ignored.
Like Crazy (2011) as Anna Maria Gardner
Jones’s breakout role in the States came in this tale of ill-fated romance between a Brit (Jones) and an American (Anton Yelchin). The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival as well as an award for Jones’s performance. (It also co-stars some actress named Jennifer Lawrence.)
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) as Felicia Hardy
Her part, as assistant to Harry Osborn, was small. And this Spider-Man was, shall we say, not a fan favorite. But it still gave Jones the opportunity to try on a tentpole movie and see how she liked the fit.
The Theory of Everything (2014) as Jane Wilde Hawking
Any bad taste left by Spidey was quickly washed away by what is, to date, the signature performance of Jones’s career. While Eddie Redmayne would win most of the attention, and the Oscar, for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking, Jones matches him note for note, revealing a steelier side that presumably will serve her well in Rogue One.
Felicity Jones shares some thoughts about playing Jane Wilde Hawking in ‘The Theory of Everything’:
Jones is poised for a breakout year in 2016. Even before Rogue One, we’re scheduled to see her in the Autobahn chase movie Collide, with Nicholas Hoult, Anthony Hopkins, and Ben Kingsley; A Monster Calls, in which she’ll play a cancer-stricken mother; and Inferno, the Ron Howard-directed sequel to Angels and Demons. By the time Jyn Erso arrives, we’ll know if she’s not only a fine actress but one who can hold the screen in the biggest of blockbusters.
‘Rogue One: A Star Wars Story’: Watch Felicity Jones in the first trailer:
