Have you ever been so immersed in a role that even your biggest fans didn't recognize you? That's exactly what happened to Emilia Jones, and it speaks volumes about her incredible talent. Get ready to dive deep into her transformative experience on HBO's 'Task'!
SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't seen the season finale of 'Task' on HBO, be warned – juicy details are coming your way!
Emilia Jones, known for her breakout role as the hearing daughter in the Oscar-winning film 'CODA,' considers it a huge compliment that audiences didn't immediately connect her to Maeve, the complex, emo niece of a criminal uncle in 'Task.' It's a testament to her acting prowess, isn't it?
"I went to a Rangers game recently, and someone said, 'I didn’t recognize you without your mullet!' And then someone else chimed in, 'Well, I didn't recognize her with the mullet!" Jones reveals, laughing. "So many people texted me saying they didn’t realize it was me until episode three or two. It’s such a compliment. That’s what I love about acting: playing characters you can totally disappear into. That was my goal, and I feel very happy that people didn’t realize it was me.”
But here's where it gets controversial... some might argue that disappearing too completely could overshadow an actor's personal brand. What do you think? Is it better to be recognizable, or to completely embody a character, even if it means anonymity?
This British actress, who also starred as the lead in 2024's 'Winner' and as Kinsey in 'Locke & Key,' reflects on the adrenaline-fueled finale of 'Task' and shares her thoughts on where Maeve might have taken Robbie's kids after escaping danger.
DEADLINE: Let’s jump right into that final episode. Talk about high octane!
EMILIA JONES: It was so much fun because I love stunts, and it was the climax of the show. We all worked together to make that scene so much more than what we thought it could be. Sam Keeley, who plays Jayson, gave me a look before we started shooting that sequence and was like, ‘Let’s do this. Let’s just go for it.’ We slightly went off the script and had this back-and-forth fight. My adrenaline was so high the whole time. It was a really, really challenging but such a fun scene to shoot.
DEADLINE: In the end, how do you think Maeve felt about Robbie, played by Tom Pelphrey?
JONES: I think Maeve is devastated when Tom [Mark Ruffalo] tells her Robbie’s dead, obviously. Maeve has long been torn by his choices, and she saw the risks, the moral compromises, the danger that he brought into the family. But at the end of the day, he was still her uncle, and he was deeply intertwined in her life. Although Robbie burdened Maeve with a lot of responsibility, she knew that she still had someone who was looking out for her. So it’s an absolute huge loss. I think that Maeve had come to the realization that Robbie’s heart was always in the right place. No matter what he did, he was trying to protect his family.
DEADLINE: What was it like working with Tom?
JONES: He’s such a giving actor. Building Maeve and Robbie’s relationship was such a joy with Tom because it’s a complicated relationship. There’s a lot of resentment there with Maeve and some conflicting emotions and anger, but at the same time, there’s so much love between them. Tom and I would hang out a lot in between filming. We would go to museums and dinners, and we did this trippy room at the children’s museum and wore 3D glasses. We basically spent five hours laughing. That really helped us bond. It was easy, then, to play the anger and tough emotions because there was so much trust and love between us.
DEADLINE: You were quite the kid wrangler in this! Have you ever worked with this many kids on a project?
JONES: It’s funny, creator Brad Ingelsby, when I first spoke to him about this project, ended the Zoom before I read the script and said, ‘Do you like kids?’ It was such a random question to ask. I was like, yeah, I love kids. Who doesn’t? And then I read the script and was like, oh, okay, I understand. I started acting when I was 8, so I saw myself in the kids. I remember when I was on set when I was young, someone would get me a present or something, and it would just mean the absolute world to me. So I tried to do that with the kids. For Ben Doherty, who plays Sam, it was one of his first projects. He was just so happy to be on set. So I bought him a little Polaroid camera so he could take pictures of all the crew and cast to make a little scrapbook to remember everybody for the rest of his life. Isn't that heartwarming?
DEADLINE: Which kid called your character a chicken butthole, again?
JONES: That was little Oliver Eisenson, who plays Wyatt. Wyatt loved saying chicken butthole just as much as Oliver loved it. It wasn’t improvisation, but he absolutely loved that he got to say it. A lot of those kind of scenes were improvised because Oliver is such a bundle of energy and he’s so perfect for Wyatt, so they just kept the camera rolling and let him do his thing.
DEADLINE: Where would you like to think that Maeve and the kids went at the end?
JONES: I have thought about that so much. I just hope that Maeve is able to get the support that she needs because for a lot of her life, she’s had to put things on pause and never put herself first. I would like to think that she’s living a happy life with Harper, Wyatt, and the family that they are, but at the same time, being able to grow as a person and learn to do a few things for herself, because my goodness, she deserves it. It's a hopeful ending, but is it realistic? Could Maeve truly escape the cycle of violence and responsibility?
DEADLINE: Was 'Task' a game-changer for you?
JONES: I mean, 'CODA' was such a game-changer, and I’m so grateful for it. It was a complete whirlwind. The whole award season was such an amazing experience and such an unexpected one. I felt so lucky to have been a part of that film. I was 17, and I’d never signed or sung before. For every skill that was required for that film, I had a big fat NO by every single one of them. And for some reason, the director Sian Heder took a risk and cast me. I’ll be forever grateful for Sian and for that film. 'CODA' allowed me to be a part of 'Task,' and I’m so grateful. 'Task' really enriched my life. Maeve came to me at a time when I really needed it. I found filming the show really cathartic, and I learned a lot about myself.
DEADLINE: What have you heard about the future of 'Task'?
JONES: I’ve caught wind of it [being an anthology], and I really hope that that happens. Brad is such an amazing writer, and I think his characters are so layered and complex. The way he portrays moral ambiguity in characters is so intriguing, and it’s what drew me to 'Task' and to watch 'Mare of Easttown.' I think it would be a shame not to keep this world alive.
So, what do you think about Emilia Jones's transformation? Did you recognize her in 'Task'? And what kind of stories would you like to see explored in a potential 'Task' anthology series? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
