Emilia Jones

British actress (born 2002) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Emilia Jones (born 23 February 2002) is a British actress. She is best known for her lead role as a child of deaf adults in the drama film CODA (2021), for which she received a British Academy Film Award nomination for Best Actress. Jones is also known for starring in the Netflix adventure series Locke & Key (2020–2022) and the HBO crime series Task (2025).

Born (2002-02-23) 23 February 2002 (age 24)
Westminster, London, England
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Yearsactive2010–present
ParentAled Jones (father)
Quick facts Born, Occupations ...
Emilia Jones
Jones in 2022
Born (2002-02-23) 23 February 2002 (age 24)
Westminster, London, England
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active2010–present
ParentAled Jones (father)
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Jones began her career as a child actress in West End theatre, Doctor Who (2013) and Utopia (2013–2014). Her earlier films include Brimstone (2016), Ghostland, Two for Joy (both in 2018), and Horrible Histories (2019).

Early life

Jones was born on 23 February 2002 in London to Welsh singer and presenter Aled Jones and his wife, English circus performer Claire Fossett. She grew up in Barnes with her younger brother Lucas.[1] Jones attended an improv class run by an agent, through whom Jones was cast in One Day.[2]

Career

Jones' acting career began in 2010, at age eight, when she appeared as Jasmine in the film One Day.[3] Jones portrayed Alice in the Channel 4 drama Utopia,[4] and later that year, she played the young Queen of Years Merry Gejelh in the British television series Doctor Who episode "The Rings of Akhaten" (2013).[5] The Boston Standard lauded Jones for "carr[ying] off her scenes with aplomb" and for "really sell[ing] Merry’s mixture of naivety, knowledge and childlike fear,"[6] while the website Zap2It praised Jones' performance as "spot on."[7] She had a small role in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011).[3]

In 2011, Jones made her theatrical debut playing the princess Young Fiona in the original production of Shrek the Musical at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.[3][8] Two years later, Jones appeared in Rebecca Lenkiewicz's stage adaptation of Henry James's The Turn of the Screw as nine-year-old Flora, alternating between two other girls each night. After her performance on press night, Jones said, "I don’t find it scary, I just find it so much fun... I love every bit of it."[1][9]

In December 2018, it was announced that Jones was cast as Kinsey Locke, one of the main characters in the Netflix fantasy drama series Locke & Key (2020–2022).[10] The first season was released on 7 February 2020.[11] It was Jones' first main role in a television series. She was attracted to the part because of the prospect of playing two versions of the same character: Kinsey before and after she removes her fear.[12]

In 2021, Jones starred in the Apple TV+ comedy-drama film CODA as Ruby Rossi, the only hearing member of her family who dreams of going to Berklee. For the part, Jones spent nine months (during production of Locke & Key) learning American Sign Language, while also learning how to operate a professional fishing trawler. Principal photography ran from September 2019 to January 2020. The film premiered on 28 January 2021 at the Sundance Film Festival, where it was bought by Apple Original Films for $25 million. It premiered on Apple TV+ on 13 August 2021 and received positive reviews; Jones and co-star Troy Kotsur were critically acclaimed and received several accolades.[13] The film won the award for Best Picture at the 94th Academy Awards, the first Sundance-premiered film to do so.

Post-CODA, Jones starred in the films Cat Person (2023), Fairyland (2023), and Winner (2024), all of which received lukewarm reviews from critics. 2025 marked another highlight for the actress' career as she was cast in her first blockbuster project: Edgar Wright's adaptation of The Running Man, as well as the first season of HBO's crime drama series Task, the latter garnering her first BAFTA TV Awards nomination for Best Supporting Actress.[14] That same year, she declined to audition the part for Supergirl (2026), which ended up to Milly Alcock.[15]

Her upcoming projects include the romantic drama Charlie Harper (2025), the sports drama The 99'ers, and the biopic drama Tony.

Filmography

Key
Denotes film or TV productions that have not yet been released
More information Year, Title ...
Film roles
Year Title Role Notes
2011 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides English Girl
One Day Jasmine
2014 What We Did on Our Holiday Lottie
2015 Youth Frances
High-Rise Vicky
2016 Brimstone Joanna
2018 Ghostland young Elizabeth "Beth" Keller
Patrick Vikki
Two for Joy Violet / Vi
2019 Nuclear Emma
Horrible Histories: The Movie – Rotten Romans Orla
2021 CODA Ruby Rossi
2023 Cat Person Margot
Fairyland Alysia Abbott
2024 Winner Reality Winner [16]
2025 Charlie Harper Harper
The Running Man Amelia Williams
TBA Tony Nancy Post-production[17]
The 99'ers Julie Foudy Filming
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More information Year, Show ...
Television roles
Year Show Role Notes
2011 House of Anubis Young Sarah Frobisher-Smythe 8 episodes
2013 Doctor Who Merry Gejelh Episode: "The Rings of Akhaten"
2013–2014 Utopia Alice Ward Recurring role
2014 Residue Charlotte Jones 3 episodes
2015 Wolf Hall Anne Cromwell Episode: "Three Card Trick"
2020–2022 Locke & Key Kinsey Locke Main cast
2025 Task Maeve Main cast[18]
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More information Year, Artist(s) ...
Music videos
Year Artist(s) Title
2020 JC Stewart "I Need You to Hate Me"[19]
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Discography

Soundtracks

More information Title, Album details ...
Title Album details
Horrible Histories (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
CODA (Soundtrack from the Apple Original Film)
  • Release date: 13 August 2021
  • Label: Republic, UMG
  • Formats: Digital download, streaming
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As main artist

More information Song, Main artist(s) ...
Song Main artist(s) Writer(s) Album Year
"The Long Song"[20] Emilia Jones (feat. The BBC National Orchestra Of Wales) Murray Gold Doctor Who: Series 7 (Original Television Soundtrack) 2013
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More information Song, Main artist(s) ...
Song Main artist(s) Writer(s) Album Year
"Psycho"[21] Liam Jessup (as justliam) Liam Jessup N/A 2021
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As songwriter

More information Song, Main artist(s) ...
Song Main artist(s) Writer(s) Album Year
"Through the Phone" Wild Youth Conor O’Donohoe
Ed Drewett
Emilia Jones
Pete Hammerton[22][23]
Forever Girl - EP 2020
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Theatre

More information Year, Show ...
Year Show Role Theatre
2011–2012 Shrek The Musical Young Fiona Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
2013 Turn of the Screw Flora Almeida Theatre
2014 Far Away Joan Young Vic
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Awards and nominations

More information Year, Award ...
Year Award Category Work Result Ref
2021
Chicago Film Critics Association Most Promising Performer CODA Nominated [24]
Detroit Film Critics Society Best Breakthrough Performance Nominated [25]
Gotham Independent Film Awards Breakthrough Performer Won [26]
Greater Western New York Film Critics Association Best Actress Nominated [27]
Best Breakthrough Performance Nominated
Indiana Film Journalists Association Best Actress Nominated [28]
Breakout of the Year Nominated
Las Vegas Film Critics Society Best Actress Nominated [29]
Youth in Film - Female Won
North Texas Film Critics Association Best Newcomer Nominated [30]
Online Association of Female Film Critics Breakthrough Performance Nominated [31]
Utah Film Critics Association Best Actress Won [32]
Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Best Youth Performance Nominated [33]
2022
Alliance of Women Film Journalists Best Breakthrough Performance Won [34]
Austin Film Critics Association Breakthrough Artist Award Nominated [35]
British Academy Film Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role Nominated [36]
Chicago Indie Critics Best Actress Nominated [37]
Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Young Actor/Actress Nominated [38]
Georgia Film Critics Association Breakthrough Award Nominated [39]
Hawaii Film Critics Society Best Actress Nominated [40]
Hollywood Film Critics Association Best Actress Nominated [41]
Houston Film Critics Society Best Actress Nominated [42]
London Film Critics' Circle Young British/Irish Performer Nominated [43]
Minnesota Film Critics Alliance Best Actress Nominated [44]
Music City Film Critics Association Best Young Actress Won [45]
North Carolina Film Critics Association Best Breakthrough Performance Nominated [46]
Online Film and Television Association Best Youth Performance Won [47]
Best Female Breakthrough Nominated
San Diego Film Critics Society Best Actress Nominated [48]
Best Breakthrough Artist Won
Seattle Film Critics Society Best Youth Performance Won [49]
2026 British Academy Television Awards Best Supporting Actress Task Pending [50]
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References

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