Felicity Jones Reveals the Timeless Film She Can’t Stop Watching

Felicity Jones is making waves online with her latest film, Train Dreams, which just dropped on Netflix. The movie, set deep in the American wilderness over a century ago, stars Joel Edgerton as a railroad worker facing tough times with his family. Jones plays Gladys Granier, Edgerton’s wife, in this adaptation of Denis Johnson’s Pulitzer-nominated novella. The film is already generating Oscar buzz, especially for Jones, who’s no stranger to the awards circuit. She’s previously earned two Academy Award nominations: one for her role in The Theory of Everything, the Stephen Hawking biopic, and another for last year’s sweeping drama The Brutalist, starring Adrien Brody.

Jones’ Cinematic Inspiration

When it comes to movies that have left a mark on her, Jones points to a beloved comedy from the 1970s that swept the Oscars: Woody Allen’s Annie Hall. Starring the legendary Diane Keaton, the film holds a special place in Jones’ heart. She told Red,

“I love Annie Hall; I will always come back to that film again and again. Diane Keaton has been such an inspiration to me. She always brings humor, but complexity, and I love watching her on screen. She’s got real charisma.”

The Story Behind Annie Hall

Originally, Annie Hall was conceived as a murder mystery comedy called ‘Anhedonia’—a term for the inability to feel pleasure. However, the filmmakers realized the romance at the story’s core was its strongest element, so they shifted focus, dropping the murder plot to center on the relationship. The character of Annie was loosely modeled after Diane Keaton herself, whose real last name is Hall. Much of her quirky charm and unique speech patterns were drawn from Keaton’s real-life personality, which Allen had observed during their earlier collaborations.

The film broke new ground in American comedy, with Allen frequently breaking the fourth wall—something rarely seen at the time. Keaton’s menswear-inspired wardrobe, featuring baggy pants, ties, and hats, quickly became a fashion trend across the country. Many of the film’s funniest moments were improvised on set, helped by the real-life history between Keaton and Allen, who had dated for years before filming began.

Legacy and Lasting Impact

First-time viewers might spot a young Christopher Walken in a memorable early role as Annie’s intense brother Dwayne, who has a habit of sharing his dark fantasies about driving into oncoming traffic. Annie Hall is one of the rare films to win Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay at the Oscars, along with a Best Actress win for Keaton. This was especially notable in a year when Star Wars was expected to sweep the awards, having just changed the face of cinema and shattered box office records.

Looking ahead, Jones is set to star in a holiday comedy for Prime Video called Oh. What. Fun. alongside Michelle Pfeiffer, Jason Schwartzman, and Denis Leary. The film follows a mother who decides to leave her family at Christmas to see how they’d manage without her—spoiler: not well at all.