Watch Erica Whyman's Interview with Felicity Jones

In May, Wadham was proud to welcome back our alumna, Felicity Jones (English Literature and Language, 2003), a celebrated actor who has appeared in major films such as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Inferno (2016), On the Basis of Sex (2018), and The Aeronauts (2019). More recently, she starred in The Brutalist (2024), earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

She was interviewed live in the Holywell Music Room by another Wadham alumnus in the adjacent field of theatre, Erica Whyman (Philosophy & Modern Languages, 1998). Whyman has directed numerous acclaimed productions, including Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Play for the Nation, and The Winter’s Tale, which was broadcast on BBC Four.

Felicity responded to Erica's thoughtful questions about her experience of portraying women in stories where universities are protagonists and how she chooses her roles, as well as her latest film, 'The Brutalist'. Both are mothers working full-time, and they discussed whether the world has met - or not - any expectations they had for ‘juggling’ when we left Wadham.

Hosted by the Warden of Wadham, Robert Hannigan, they were joined in the conversation by Felicity's former tutor, Wadham's Professor of English and World Literatures and Tutorial Fellow, Ankhi Mukjerhee.

The event was the latest in a series celebrating 50 years since the first women students were admitted at Wadham.

Felicity spoke of what Wadham meant to her - the friendships, the freedom to be herself - and discussed her career, playing fearless women, and the making of The Brutalist.