Emilia Jones reveals she watched ‘hours and hours’ of 80s dance videos to prepare for her leading role in the film Fairyland
When actress Emilia Jones stars in a role, she really makes sure she gets stuck in.
First, she spent nine months learning ASL to prepare for her performance in the critically acclaimed 2021 film CODA and now, she has taken a deep dive into 1980s dance culture to play her new role, in the film Fairyland.
The daughter of singer Aled Jones, 21, stars as the leading character, Alysia and admitted she watched ‘hours and hours’ of YouTube videos in order to throw some realistic retro shapes in the scene.
Talking to IndieWire Studio at Sundance Festival, she said: ‘I did a lot of research. I had a scene in the nightclub dancing and Andrew [Durham] said to me, ‘Don’t do any modern dance.
‘There’s actually loads of videos on YouTube of real nightclubs in the ’80s…so I just watched hours and hours and hours of that.’
Working hard: Emilia Jones, 21, admitted she watched ‘hours and hours’ of YouTube videos in order to prepare so she could show some realistic dance moves in her new film, Fairyland
Screen queen: Emilia plays Alysia in Fairyland and said that she is ‘honoured’ to have played a part in turning the ‘beautiful’ memoir into a movie
She went on to say: ‘And also Maggie [Whitaker], the costume designer, she was so amazing, and the minute I was kind of in costume, I felt like I was in a totally different era. She nailed it.’
The film, which is written and directed by Andrew Durham, is about a widowed gay man raising his daughter on his own in San Francisco, and is based on the 2013 memoir by Alysia Abbott.
Emilia plays adult Alysia and said that she is ‘honoured’ to have played a part in turning the ‘beautiful’ story into a movie.
The film had its premiere last week, but there have been no announcements for the release to the public just yet. Emilia has already drawn comparisons with actress Winona Ryder for her performance in the film.
The actress – whose famous father, Aled, garnered widespread success as a young chorister, after singing a cover version ‘Walking In The Air’ in 1985, the song from the animated film The Snowman by Raymond Briggs – has forged a successful career in her own right.
She played small parts in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and the television series Doctor Who and has already received a BAFTA nomination and a Screen Actors Guild Award for her starring role in the Apple Original Film, CODA.
Emilia played the only hearing member of a deaf family, who was tasked with the responsibility of helping with their fishing business, whilst dreaming of going to university.
Discussing her BAFTA nomination in February 2022, she said: ‘I’m just so grateful that people loved CODA because I did work so hard.
New role: The daughter of Aled Jones, 21, stars in the 2023 Fairyland movie which is written and directed by Andrew Durham (pictured middle)
Role model: Her famous father found fame as a young chorister, earning a number five hit single with Walking In The Air in 1985 and providing vocals for The Snowman
‘I was 17 when we shot so I had a big, big workload for 17. It’s nice people are being so lovely.
‘I trained for nine months with American Sign Language and had singing lessons too because I loved singing, but I’d never had a singing lesson before.’
Emilia also revealed that dad Aled and circus performer mum Claire Fossett have been supportive of her career choice, adding: ‘They’re so supportive and they’ve sacrificed a lot for me to do this so I’m very grateful to have them.
‘You always have to make sacrifices… there have been times for me where I have been invited to things with my friends and I haven’t gone because I wanted to work and better myself as an actor and focus on my auditions.
‘You say no more than you say yes but you shouldn’t let it get you down.’
