From Autumn Issue 63
Since the age of eight, Emilia Jones has been on a whirlwind of acting that shows no sign of slowing, with five films on the boil and plans to do even more
British actor Emilia Jones is speaking from London on the eve of a whirlwind run – Venice Film Festival tomorrow, then New York for the Task premiere, next Toronto, back to New York and finally Los Angeles. She’s one busy gal. “It’s always like this,” she laughs. “Everything comes out at once. And then The Running Man is out in November, so they’re all kind of back-to-back.”
The schedule sounds punishing but Jones is entirely unfazed. Warm, funny and quick to smile, she has an easy charm, and there’s a clear excitement as she talks about the projects ahead. Acting has been part of her world since childhood and the excitement and bright energy is still there.
Photographer: Keir Laird
She began at the age of eight, appearing in One Day alongside Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess, then in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and Doctor Who. On stage she debuted as Young Fiona in Shrek the Musical at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, later appearing in The Turn of the Screw at the Almeida Theatre. “I was always role playing as a kid,” she recalls.
“My parents bought me KerPlunk, that game with the sticks, and I turned them into magic wands and treasure. Then I went to a Saturday improv class, auditioned for One Day and somehow got the part. It was beginner’s luck. My parents were great about balance – they made sure I wasn’t always filming and could still be a normal kid.”
She laughs at the memory of being barely 10 and dissecting theatre scripts for hours, “I would sit there for six hours with the director dissecting the play. I think I was always an old soul, and I matured quickly. I was grateful for people who didn’t treat me like a kid, because I learned so much from that.”
Photographer: Keir Laird
That maturity, coupled with discipline, kept her grounded, but there were also moments that confirmed this was more than a childhood diversion. Brimstone, a Western thriller with Dakota Fanning and Guy Pearce, was one of them; “It was my first bigger role where I wasn’t just playing someone’s kid. Martin Koolhoven, the director, treated me like an adult and pushed me. I learned about history, about myself, about pushing my limits. That film really enriched my life.”
Her breakthrough came in 2021 with CODA. As Ruby Rossi, the only hearing member of a deaf family, she delivered a performance met with critical acclaim, praised for its genuineness and emotional depth; that’s no small feat given she was only 17 when it was filmed.
Taking on that role carried real responsibility too, something Jones was acutely aware of. All of this didn’t go unnoticed as she earned a BAFTA nomination and a Gotham Award, while what she calls “the little indie film” went on to win Best Picture at the Oscars following its Sundance debut. “[Director] Siân Heder took such a big chance casting me,” Jones says. “It was a huge role and I was young. She trusted me completely and that meant everything. I learned so much from her.”
Photographer: Keir Laird
It’s clear that Jones is nothing if not dedicated. She throws herself into her characters and she’s keen to learn every skill a role demands. To honour Heder’s trust, she prepared intensively, learning sign language, taking singing lessons, even working on fishing boats.
“CODA was a turning point,” she says. “I was 17, British, had never signed, never properly sung, never fished. I didn’t want to just learn my lines in sign language, I wanted to learn the language so I could connect with [deaf actors] Marlee [Matin], Troy [Kotsur] and Daniel [Durant] without an interpreter. It was such a hard process but so rewarding. When we wrapped, I actually felt lost. I’d been living Ruby for a year and I didn’t want to let her go.”
Since then, she has chosen roles that resist easy categorisation. At Sundance she starred in Susanna Fogel’s Winner, playing whistleblower Reality Winner. She wrapped A24’s Tony, a biopic of Anthony Bourdain with Antonio Banderas and Leo Woodall. This autumn alone brings three premieres with Task, a seven-part HBO drama; Charlie Harper, which made its debut at Toronto; and Andrew Durham’s Fairyland, adapted from Alysia Abbott’s eponymous memoir. Then comes Edgar Wright’s The Running Man, opposite Josh Brolin, Glen Powell and Colman Domingo.
Photographer: Keir Laird
In Task, from Mare of Easttown creator Brad Ingelsby, she plays Maeve, a young woman pulled into dangerous territory alongside her uncle, played by Tom Pelphrey. The character is a far cry from Jones herself, but the role gave her space to filter personal emotions into the performance, making Maeve layered and vulnerable; she drew on her own experience and used the character as a conduit for those feelings.
“Maeve is tough, angry, but vulnerable too,” she says. “I loved weaving those emotions together. I was a huge Mare of Easttown fan, and Brad is honestly one of the nicest people. The Delco accent was brutal though. My dialect coach Susanne Selby took me around Philly, into bars and restaurants, to hear how people spoke. It wasn’t just the sound, it was the energy. That was key to Maeve. And yes, the mullet definitely helped. The minute I cut my hair, covered myself in tattoos and heavy hoops, I walked differently.”
Working with Pelphrey proved crucial, “He plays my uncle, and from day one he literally looked out for me. We became like niece and uncle. A lot of Maeve came out of reacting to him – he kept me on my toes because every take was different. We had so many scenes shouting at each other, and it pushed me in the best way.”
Photographer: Keir Laird
She talks about disappearing into characters with real relish, “I had to shake Maeve off afterwards because we were filming for so long. But I don’t stay in accent between takes, and once I’m home with my family, three movie nights later I’m myself again. Still, when I cut the mullet off, I was genuinely sad. I loved playing her.”
For Emilia, this habit of full immersion and clean detachment runs through her career, with lighter projects being easier to step away from. “I just finished a ‘70s film for A24. That one was easier to shake off because she was a fun character, not harrowing like some of the others. But I do find heavy roles cathartic. I’m a very chill person, so getting to cry or shout on screen feels like therapy. I let all the emotions out there and then I’m calm again.”
She thrives on the learning, “That’s one of the things I love most. Acting enriches my life,” she says. “I’ve learned sign language, how to cook at the Ritz, all these things I’d never normally do. And every project teaches you something about yourself too.”
Photographer: Keir Laird
As for how she chooses her roles and what shapes her choices, Jones doesn’t hesitate, “I’m always looking for challenges, something I haven’t done before. After CODA I could be a bit pickier. So, I try to choose roles that push me in new directions. I haven’t done a rom-com yet. Or a proper horror in a while. A horror rom-com would be fun.”
Ask her about the people who inspire her, and the talk turns to actors and directors she admires. “I remember seeing Lady Bird and thinking, oh my god, I want to do something like that. Greta Gerwig is amazing. Monster was another moment – seeing Charlize Theron transform completely made me want to be that kind of actor, a character actor. I want to change to the point where people don’t even recognise me at first.”
She also grins when Edgar Wright’s name comes up, “Edgar’s passion is infectious. He’d be off-camera shouting ‘bang’ during explosions, even though there were already huge bangs. That’s how much he cares. He was on my list of dream directors, so getting The Running Man felt surreal. And working with Glen Powell [The Running Man lead] – he’s the nicest, hardest-working person. Everyone loves him.”
Photographer: Keir Laird
Along the way, she’s gathered advice that’s shaped her, “As an actor you have to trust your director. I’ve been lucky to work with people who push me and challenge me – it makes you better.” She remembers one moment in particular, at The Hollywood Reporter Roundtable, when actor Jessica Chastain said, “You should live for the experience of working, because if you focus on whether a project will be well received, you’ll end up unhappy. That really stuck with me. You have to love the process – that should be enough.”
And true to her love of variety, could she return to tread the boards? When asked, she admits theatre is still on her mind, “I did Shrek in the West End when I was eight, Turn of the Screw when I was 10, and a play at the Young Vic at 13. Nothing since. I’ve been seeing plays recently and thought maybe it’s time. Theatre is so different – the adrenaline, the audience energy, the fact every night changes depending on how the crowd reacts. I’d love to feel that again.” Her eyes brighten remembering one particular night. “When I did Turn of the Screw, one night the lights went down and the audience screamed before anything happened. I thought, oh, it’s going to be a wild show. I loved that energy.”
Photographer: Keir Laird
She pauses, then adds, “I’m really grateful people have believed in me. I meet 17-year-olds now and think, I can’t believe I was that age when I did CODA. And with The Running Man, Edgar saw something in me and called me in. I’m so thankful to the directors and cast mates who’ve pushed me and challenged me. That’s what keeps me going.”
As for the longer view, she doesn’t have a master plan, just a hope for longevity, “I want to still be here in 10 years, still messing my hair up, still playing characters that push me. Acting enriches my life so much — the places I go, the skills I learn, the people I meet. Longevity is what I want. If I’m still doing this in a decade, with a rom-com under my belt, I’ll be happy.” For now, the whirlwind shows no sign of slowing, and Jones seems perfectly at home in its eye.
by Felicity Carter
Charlie Harper premiered at TIFF. Task is now streaming on HBO Max in the US and Sky and NOW TV in the UK and Ireland. Fairyland is in cinemas from 10 October. The Running Man is out 14 November.
Photographer: Keir Laird
Stylist: Celine Sheridan
Makeup: Alex Babsky
Hair: Stefan Bertin
Manicurist: Jenni Draper
Photography assistant: Grace Tasselli
Stylist assistant: Maya Domanska
Talent: Emilia Jones
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