Felicity Jones had a breakthrough at Sundance last year when Like Crazy took its time in the spotlight. Now that it’s reclaiming that position with an ever-expanding limited release, Jones has caught the eye of studios and casting directors. According to Deadline Humble, she’s also been noticed by Warren Beatty who has hired her as the leading lady in his untitled Howard Hughes biopic.
She’ll be playing a young woman who becomes involved with Hughes’s driver before “falling in love with Hughes.” It’s unclear how fabricated that element is, as Hughes was married to actress Jean Peters for much of his later life, and although the man was linked to a baker’s dozen of Hollywood’s most shining stars, it’s curious that the story here would focus on an unknown girl falling for the mentally troubled icon in his twilight hours.
This is the next, first big step in Jones’s ascension, and it’s great to see her choosing another prestigious role. She’s without a doubt a stunning young talent, and there will be a lot more from her to enjoy in the future. Joining her and Beatty (who stars as Hughes) might also be Annette Bening, Jack Nicholson, Owen Wilson and Alec Baldwin. The search for Hughes’s driver also continues, and the names floating around, according to Deadline, are Justin Timberlake and Alden Ehrenreich. We’ll most likely be hearing some confirmations soon as the movie sets to shoot next year. As if we can all wait that long to see Jones trip head over heels for Beatty as he pees into jars.
