36 HIT THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016 HERALDSUN.COM.AU AN UNLIKELY GUY FOR Sherlock Holmes director Guy Ritchie HEROINE THE JOB is in talks with Disney for a live-action version of the 1992 classic Aladdin, COVER STORY which featured the late Robin Williams. CRACKING FelicityTHE Jones has decades of acting experience C and an OscarO nominationD under her beltE but two blockbusters in quick succession are set to take her to the next level, as Tiffany Bakker discovers Felicity Jones reckons there’s a “I do have nerves about it,” Felicity Jones pretty simple reason why author Jones says, groaning slightly. with Tom Journey into a Dan Brown’s Robert Langdon “It’s a franchise that’s so beloved Hanks (left); franchise (The DaVinci Code, and we all want to do it justice. and as Jyn Angels and Demons) has raked We loved making it — it’s such a Erso in Rogue in over a billion bucks at the special, special film, that we can’t One; (below) troubled mind global box office. wait for people to see it.” with Inferno “They’re just good for a And though plot details are director Ron Friday night and some popcorn, predictably vague, we do know Howard and Maggie Naouri has gone from playing aren’t they,” laughs the British this; Jones’ rebel fighter Jyn Erso co-stars Hanks actor down the line from is entrusted with the mission to and Ana Ularu. a flirt on Neighbours to portraying a Florence, where she’s promoting steal plans for the Death Star so the franchise’s latest instalment, Luke Skywalker can destroy it. convicted killer, writes Vicky Roach Inferno. As is always the way when it “Not everything has to be comes to anything Star Wars- scrutinised and picked apart. related, online fan forums are Some movies are just purely running rife with theories. (The Chris Hemsworth, Margot casting a character like Anu, she good fun — they’re a good current favourite is that Jones’ Robbie, Guy Pearce ... add has to believe every utterance, mystery, and a good ride. I Erso is Rey’s — from The Force Maggie Naouri to the list to justify every one of her mean, why not?” Awakens — mum.) of graduates from the actions, to feel it in her bones. In Inferno, Jones plays “She’s an underdog; she’s internationally-renowned “Maggie had that honesty. Sienna, an ER doctor who ends not your usual sort of warrior,” Neighbours school of acting. And that quality is essential, up careening around Italy with says Jones, who adds that her “It was my first job out otherwise you end up judging Tom Hanks, who’s reprising diminutive 160cm stature made of VCA and a fantastic start,” Joe for being with her.” his role as the perennially her “an unlikely heroine”. says the star of Joe Cinque’s Joe Cinque’s Consolation endangered symbologist Jones says that it’s crucial Consolation, a film based on is based on the book by Helen Robert Langdon. women continue to front the true story of Canberra law Garner, who attended the This time around, Langdon major studio blockbusters. student Anu Singh who killed separate trials of Singh and her is suffering from a severe case of “It’s vital,” she says. “As her boyfriend with a lethal dose friend Madhavi Rao in 1999, amnesia and Sienna must help we’re seeing in politics, it’s of heroin after first lacing his publishing her account of him stop a nasty virus being set a world where women are coffee with Rohypnol. the chilling crime and its free on the world by a demented becoming leaders of Naouri’s guest appearance aftermath five years later. billionaire (no, not Donald actors than being in a studio for with and one of my greatest nations, and films should on the long-running Channel Singh remained silent Trump, but a rather menacing seven months.” friends. It’s a difficult time for be reflecting that.” Ten soap as flirtatious journalist in court. And she chose not Ben Foster) to rid the world of Indeed, at 32, Jones has rarely his family and friends.” Jones is well aware Ruby Knox led to a recurring, to speak to the author. half of its population. stopped working. As a child she Another career moment she’s that Star Wars fans two-season role on the popular Naouri based her character (Things, of course, are not as played Emma Grundy in the still trying to come to grips with are going berserk Australian prison drama on the screenplay. they seem, but there’ll be no British series, The Archers, is her 2015 Oscar nomination for at the prospect of Wentworth as nurse “I didn’t want to spoilers here.) before later appearing in period her role as Jane Hawking, wife of the upcoming Rose Atkins. just play her as a Aside from the obvious dramas — Northanger Abbey physicist Stephen (played by instalment And that was “I wanted stereotyped evil benefits of working with Hanks and Brideshead Revisited. But Eddie Redmayne), in The — she’s seen what gave director to play her character, I wanted (“he’s so down to earth, no star it was her performance in it up close. as a troubled Theory Of Everything. Sotiris Dounoukos human to play her as a attitude at all, and phenomenal the wonderful, and largely “I think I’m still processing “We the confidence to being” troubled human work ethic”) and director Ron improvised, 2011 film Like Crazy, it,” she says. “I don’t think I’ve went to cast the Armenian/ being.” Howard (“he’s one of the best, that saw her career take off. quite got to the point where I can Star Wars Jordanian beauty as Almost 20 years and he makes actors feel less “I just have wonderful realise that it’s real. Maybe that Celebration the lead in his film just later, Joe Cinque’s death self-conscious, which is not memories of that film,” she won’t happen until I’m a really — which is three years out of acting school. still haunts his peers at ANU. easy”), Jones wasn’t averse says. “I learned so much.” old granny. a Star Wars “Maggie learned a great “There is still a tear in the to spending a few months Sadly, Jones’ Like Crazy “And then think suddenly, convention deal being on Wentworth. social fabric,” says Dounoukos, on location in Italy. co-star Anton Yelchin died in gosh, that was so cool. I mean, it’s — and it was She definitely brought a TV who was in Singh’s year at law “There are not many times a freak car accident in June. sort of, your wildest dreams, that wonderful. toughness and grit to the school. “One of the really when you’re shooting when you “That film was all about something like that happens. So It’s such a production,” he says. painful things about (what get to go and look at Botticelli’s Anton,” recalls Jones. “He was you try to enjoy every bit of it.” special Dounoukos, who considered happened) is how it gathers Primavera in between shooting, someone who questioned There were, however, other fanbase, “close to” 100 other actresses for so much momentum. You feel I mean, that’s pretty unique,” everything. He was an unexpected Oscar issues. the Star Wars the role, says Naouri stood out like it’s this house of cards that she says. “Plus it was much, inquisitive spirit, “There are so many outfit world. People are from her first audition. “There should absolutely fall, even by much kinder an extraordinary person changes that a lot of the time just so excited for it — was this profound sincerity in luck, and it doesn’t. You are on the to work you’re just thinking about what they’re devoted to these every action she played.” left considering just how outfit you’re going to wear next. characters. They really He still called the actor powerful inaction can be.” I mean, I love fashion, but it support you. It’s a very back six more times to be sure. With the help of Rao, is ridiculous.” warm audience,” she says. “The first (audition) was at Singh organised two separate Things, however, are “Obviously, you’re in a studio the beginning of 2013. I got the dinner parties at which the about to get a hell of a lot for months and you’re making role at the beginning of 2015, guests were at least partly bigger than even an these films and it was wonderful so it was a long process,’’ aware of her intentions. Academy Award to start to see the feedback and Naouri says. “A group of people, and nomination. the affection people have and Anu Singh was such a not just a handful, watched Come December, the warmth.” complex character, Dounoukos this unfold,” says Dounoukos. Jones will be seen as says, he felt he had to “get to rebel fighter Jyn Erso in SEE INFERNO OPENS TODAY. ROGUE know the many facets of SEE JOE CINQUE’S CONSOLATION the stand-alone Star ONE: A STAR WARS STORY OPENS Maggie. The thing about OPENS TODAY Wars film Rogue One. DECEMBER 15 MHSE01Z01MA - V1 HERALDSUN.COM.AU THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2016 HIT 37 THE BIG READ Masters of improvisation CRACKING UK band James are ready to tour here but don’t expect to hear any greatest hits, writes Cameron Adams With a history that stretches “They like seeing us back to 1982, there aren’t too improvise.