A few years before she would become a household name by starring in critically acclaimed films, Felicity Jones had a breakout role in an episode of Doctor Who. The accomplished young actor saw a meteoric rise to the top in such movies as 2014's The Theory of Everything, and she was even nominated for an Oscar for the same film. Often impressing with her range and cross-genre appeal, Jones has starred in gripping dramas and big-budget blockbusters like 2016's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Even in a small part in Doctor Who, she gave a standout performance that offered a clue to her future success.
Felicity Jone's Doctor Who debut came in 2008, and it was the culmination of her years of television work where she starred in projects including The Worst Witch and Northanger Abbey. Appearing in one of the Doctor and Donna's most hilarious adventures, the season 4 episode "The Unicorn and the Wasp" featured a large ensemble cast and even a portrayal of Agatha Christie. The episode's classic murder mystery premise allowed for a variety of different performance possibilities, and the young Jones kept up with her established co-stars beat for beat. Though it was a small role in general, Jones stood out among the cast.
Felicity Jones Played "The Unicorn"
Unlike many other young actors who land bit parts on established shows like Doctor Who, Felicity Jones was actually given a role she could sink her teeth into. Portraying the socialite Robina Redmond, who was attending the same party as the Doctor and Donna, Jones actually got the chance to shock audiences by revealing her true identity. Like a twist from the best adaptations of her work, Agatha Christie (Fenella Woolgar) revealed that young miss Redmond was not actually who she claimed to be, and was really an internationally renowned thief known simply as "The Unicorn." Dropping her posh accent for her real voice, "The Unicorn" admitted her deception.
"The Unicorn" Was A Red Herring
Although it gave Felicity Jones a chance to show off her impressive range by switching from one persona to another in a flash, the role of "The Unicorn" was actually a red herring. Her goal was to steal the Firestone, a precious jewel on the necklace of Lady Eddison (Felicity Kendal) that was secretly a piece of alien technology. The reveal might have downplayed the importance of her role in the plot, but her significance to the episode was still great. With the Tenth being known as an eccentric Doctor, the David Tennant era of Doctor Who was celebrated for its clever humor, and Jones's performance added to that reputation.
Jone's Doctor Who performance also came the same year as her feature film debut in 2008's Flashbacks of a Fool, but her early movie work paled in comparison to what the sci-fi series allowed her to show off. It wouldn't take long for Jones to eventually make a splash in Hollywood, and it wasn't difficult to see the potential she possessed just in her one-episode stint. Doctor Who has been a stepping stone for many up-and-coming performers, and Felicity Jones's encounter with the Time Lord was a net positive for her career.