English actress Felicity Jones, star of The Theory of Everything and The Brutalist, talks The Standard through London in her eyes. Discover what makes London special to Jones, from her favourite haunts to her top Londoner.
I’ve lived in east, north and west London. The only place for me to live next is south. These days I live west, and it’s been my home for the past 10 years. I enjoy being able to jump on the overground and go to Portobello Market and being close to Heathrow. I do a lot of travel for work and it helps being close, and being able to fly away. And come back.
Where was your first flat in London?
When I first moved here I had a flat in Bethnal Green that I shared with two friends, and that was a full-on twentysomething experience. We were next to some great pubs and, being close to Brick Lane and Shoreditch, we would go out there all the time. I remember going to Vyner Street for the gallery openings. It was a really exciting place to be living in your early twenties as I was auditioning for TV shows and absolutely loved living in that part of the city.
Felicity Jones (Ian West/PA)
PA Wire
My very first job in London was when I was 12, in Ruislip. I did a TV period drama called The Treasure Seekers. That was the beginning of my love affair with London; ever since that moment I knew one day I wanted to live in the Big Smoke.
Which shops do you rely on?
I do love going to Liberty. It’s always such a treat, and if I ever need a really nice present, that’ll be my one-stop shop. I love the history of it and I love all the wood when you go in. If I’ve got a bit of time and I’m going for a little bit of self-care then I like going to Sarah Chapman just off Sloane Square. I’ll treat myself to a coffee beforehand at Ottolenghi and go and have a very luxurious facial.
What’s the best meal you’ve had?
I like going into the centre of town and trying different places. The name of the place I went to recently is Toklas. I might be late to the party but I went there and it’s brilliant. There’s a bakery and a restaurant and it makes you feel like you’re an architecture student in the 1980s.
What would you do if you were Mayor for the day?
I would plant loads more trees. As many as possible. And I would also close all the roads so that everyone could walk around everywhere.
Who is the most iconic Londoner?
Queen Elizabeth II (PA)
PA Archive
Where do you go and what do you do to have fun?
I haven’t really gone out to bars for a long time, which is probably saying something. My life is much more going to the Natural History Museum and being overwhelmed by the massive creature hanging above us in that main hall. I feel like I’ve gone from cocktail bars to dinosaurs. And I love the My London feature in the paper. I get it every week and on Friday night, I’ll think, “Oh, now’s the time for a little drink and reading the paper.”
What’s the best thing a cabbie has ever said to you?
People don’t always recognise me; sometimes they’ll be like, “Did we go to the same school?” I get that quite a lot. It varies depending on the cabbies. I’ve met a lot of cabbies who are really passionate about film. I’ve had some really good chats about film and books. I’ve had some really fascinating cab journeys actually.
What’s your London secret?
One place I have been to recently is Dukes Bar, which is behind The Wolseley restaurant. It’s a little side door down an alley. You get fantastic cocktails and it’s always packed.
What are you up to at the moment for work?
Felicity Jones, Emma Corrin and Maika Monroe
Getty Images for BFI
I am promoting three films. There’s Train Dreams, which is out in cinemas and on Netflix soon. We have a film called Oh. What. Fun, which is a comedy with Michelle Pfeiffer, then a film called 100 Nights of Hero with Emma Corrin and Maika Monro.
They’re all wonderful films in their own way so I’m happy to be a saleswoman for a few months.
If there’s anything I collect it’s definitely little bits and bobs from nature. There arequite a few pebbles around the house thatare building up. I don’t know if we really need all these random stones and rocks, but there’s something about having a bit of nature in the city that I really like.
Train Dreams is in cinemas now and streaming on Netflix from November 21