‘On The Basis Of Sex’ Star Felicity Jones Reveals Her Pre-Filming Rituals

Felicity Jones has portrayed numerous iconic characters on film from Jane Hawking in “The Theory of Everything” to Jyn Erso in “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Soon, moviegoers will get to see her become the legendary Ruth Bader Ginsburg in Focus Features’ “On the Basis of Sex.” But before Jones becomes any of her characters, she admits she has “many” rituals she likes to take part in.

“I’m obsessed with the shoes of the character. I’ll try to wear the shoes a week before,” Jones told the press, including International Business Times, ahead of CinemaCon’s Big Screen Achievement Awards in Las Vegas last month where she won the Award of Excellence in Acting. “I do weird warmup exercises every time I go on set. Just anything to loosen you up.”

Besides walking in her character’s shoes, Jones said she’s also very particular about what she eats before filming. “I eat hard-boiled eggs with salt and pepper when I’m shooting before I go on in the morning,” she shared. “I’m very ritualistic.”

Jones got an extra dose of preparation ahead of filming the biographical drama “On the Basis of Sex.” The U.K. native said she spent quality time with the U.S. Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in her home.

“She welcomed me into her house. She showed my pictures. Her apartment is covered in photos of her family and her great, great, love of her life, her husband Marty. They were teenage sweethearts who had a very long and loving marriage.”

Jones said the movie will not only touch on Ruth’s career but also her personal life. “Part of the film is about that,” the actress shared. “Not only about her as a lawyer but this great, great love in her life.”

Playing such a woman impacted her personally, says Jones. “She was someone who came from Brooklyn. She came from very modest circumstances and went on to such incredible success and she’s such an example of how determination and perseverance can mean you can achieve anything.”

“I love playing roles like Ruth. I like playing people who are determined, who don’t give up in the face of adversity. I look for those roles wherever I can,” Jones added.

“She is a fighter. She never gives up and even if she gets knocked down, she just carries on and I think that’s always a lesson to take for anyone. Don’t let life get you down.”