Glass meets British actor and Hollywood A-lister Felicity Jones whose latest starring role was inspired by the dying art of letter-writing
Felicity Jones. Photograph: Gavin Bond
IN 2011, British author Jojo Moyes’s The Last Letter From Your Lover was published. That same year Felicity Jones won the special jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival for her performance in Like Crazy. Now the two meet for the film adaptation of Moyes’ best-selling novel.
Having previously enjoyed screenwriter Nick Payne’s Constellations, the opportunity to play gutsy London journalist Ellie in the eponymous movie was too good to resist for Jones whose father was also a journalist. Just like her character, Jones went one step further, working as an executive producer with fellow co-star Shailene Woodley of Big Little Lies fame.
Jones says this was not another “vanity credit” often found in Hollywood but an opportunity to give a “very hands on approach”, sharing her “thoughts on Ellie’s storyline”, giving notes to Payne and director Augustine Frizzell, and working on “the later development of the script”.
Felicity Jones. Photograph: Gavin Bond
Jones’ repertoire of roles always pack a punch — whether it’s as Jane Hawking in The Theory Of Everything, Ruth Bader Ginsburg in On The Basis Of Sex, Amelia Wren in The Aeronauts or as Jyn Erso in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Jones is paving the way for nuanced female leads, challenging Hollywood’s outdated perception of women: “I think the industry is in a period of great transition, which is wonderful. I think it had been stuck in the 1950s for far too long.”
With the dawn of social media came a newfound democracy, she adds. “I think the greatest thing we now have is accountability. I think people got away with things because the power structures were such that people were able to dominate others through fear.”
Felicity Jones. Photograph: Gavin Bond
These very power structures have crumbled in the face of the MeToo movement, Black Lives Matter and, of course, the pandemic. While the internet can at times feel like a daunting and unsafe space, Jones celebrates “the technological revolution”, seeing it as somewhere “people have much more of a voice. There’s still far to go but at least we are seeing cracks.”
Jones’ wise words can be taken more literally, too. With lockdowns easing, we are seeing cracks of light shine through, and with that a lightness of mood. While holidays may be off the cards, The Last Letter From Your Lover will gladly whisk you away to the glamorous and glittering shores of the Mediterranean in the 1960s, where the love letters between Jane Stirling (played by Woodley) and Anthony O’Hare (played by Callum Turner) come to life.
“Augustine created a very familial atmosphere on set and kept it light and energetic, which was perfect for our scenes,” she says. In fact, Moyes’ novel couldn’t be in safer hands. A former English literature student at Wadham College, Oxford, Jones carried the book around with her during filming “like a magical charm”, referring to constantly.
Felicity Jones. Photograph: Gavin Bond
The idea for Moyes’ novel came after she discovered that her younger cousin had never received a love letter. Regarding it as a dying art form, Moyes breathed new life into letter-writing, arguably writing a love letter to the very form itself. Jones cherishes the integrity found in letter writing: “It feels as though it means something more when it’s written down on paper – the fact that someone has bothered to find a pen is a big deal. I love writing notes and letters. I wish I had more time to write long ones but I love it when I do.”
Indeed, Jones is probably a bit stretched for time having had her first child in April last year and is refreshingly honest about trying to find balance in her busy life. “Balance is the holy grail but it’s a twisty path to get there, although I feel like I’m starting to accept more that life fluctuates,” she declares.
“Ups and downs are part of being a human and there are periods of no balance, like when you’re making a film. Really creative times are often quite intense [followed by] periods of calm. I guess the balance comes from accepting what life throws at you.”
Felicity Jones. Photograph: Gavin Bond
Accepting the good with the bad is not something that feels familiar in the world of celebrity, which always exudes an impression of perfection. In Jones’ easy-going company it’s easy to forget that she is very much a part of Hollywood royalty, having been directed by Ralph Fiennes in The Invisible Woman and George Clooney in The Midnight Sky (while pregnant), starred next to Tom Hanks in Inferno and scored beauty contracts with Dolce and Gabbana and Clé De Peau. She is quick to praise others, too, citing Thomas Vinterberg’s Another Round as her favourite film of the year.
Felicity Jones. Photograph: Gavin Bond
Most woman can relate to Jones’ character Ellie at some point in their lives, somebody who is lost and searching for their identity. As someone who has now passed this searching stage, Jones reflects on her journey: “I think you get better at working out what really makes your heart sing and letting go of the other stuff. I’ve always felt you’ve got to experience a little bit of everything so that when you’re old and infirm you’ve got a bank of wonderful memories to think back on.”
What of 2020, the year when everything paused? Jones is ever hopeful, reassuring us that “post-pandemic I think connection and romance will be more intensified because we’ve collectively gone through an experience which shows us how fragile life is”.
by Charlie Newman
Photographer GAVIN BOND
Fashion Director KATIE FELSTEAD
Make up NAOKO SCINTU at THE WALL GROUP using CLÉ DE PEAU BEAUTÉ
Hair KEN O’ROURKE at PREMIER HAIR AND MAKE UP using CHARLES WORTHINGTON
Manicurist JENNI DRAPER at PREMIER HAIR AND MAKE UP using CHANEL Le Vernis Ballerina and CHANEL La Crème Main
Photography assistant MARK LINCOLN
Styling assistant LILY RIMMER
Talent FELICITY JONES
Look 1:
B.zero1 Design Legend necklace with pendant, both in 18K rose gold and B.zero1 Design Legend four-band ring in 18K rose gold, both BULGARI
Fourth finger: Felicity’s wedding ring
Suit SPORTMAX
Look 2:
Dress BRUNELLO CUCINELLI
Two rings CARTIER
Earrings BULGARI
Look 3 and 5:
Left hand: Juste un Clou bracelet and Trinity ring in 18K white gold, 18K rose gold and 18K yellow gold, both CARTIER
Right hand: Felicity’s wedding ring
Dress MOLLY GODDARD
Shoes ALEXANDER McQUEEN
Look 4:
Coat PREEN BY THORNTON BREGAZZI
Top SPORTMAX
Look 6:
Dress, underskirt, bralette SIMONE ROCHA
Shoes ALEXANDER McQUEEN