Netflix will remind streamers why one actress deserves to be a bigger star now that it has included the well-received biographical drama On the Basis of Sex in its catalog. The 2018 biopic documents the revolutionary life of lawyer and later associate justice of the US Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsberg. On the Basis of Sex may be nowhere near as trailblazing as the historical icon herself but is considered an appreciable and crowd-pleasing flick by the likes of Rotten Tomatoes, on which the movie earned an approval rating of 72%, and other review aggregators that reveal the same sentiment.

Despite some On the Basis of Sex reviews finding fault for it playing out like a conventional biopic, in most cases, critics praised the film for bringing Ginsberg’s story to life in a manner undeniably inspirational by nature. In defense of On the Basis of Sex, it’d be impossible for any dramatization of Ginsberg’s life to touch on everything that made her a legal, cultural, and feminist idol. However, On the Basis of Sex successfully capitalized on its strengths, including its exceptional cast and one actress whose performance was impressive enough that it should’ve helped amplify her fame.

On The Basis Of Sex’s Netflix Release Is A Reminder Of How Good Felicity Jones Is

Felicity Jones Shines As Ruth Bader Ginsberg

Leading On the Basis of Sex’s cast, which contained easily recognizable actors such as Dolores Claiborne’s Kathy Bates, Law & Order franchise alum Sam Waterston, and American Psycho’s Justin Theroux, was English actress Felicity Jones as Ginsberg. On the Basis of Sex’s starring role had to be daunting, burdened by the pressures of Ginsberg’s remarkable legacy, the expectation to do it justice, and the typical scrutiny of any new movie release. Yet, Jones commanded the role and didn’t just act well but with an intensity that was essential to portray how Ginsberg dominated the rigid, male-dominated world of law.

Though her portrayal of the legal visionary wasn’t for everybody, Jones’ performance obtained her a Women’s Image Network Award nomination for Outstanding Actress and even some mild Oscar buzz. While On the Basis of Sex may not be considered the best movie of Jones’ career, it has become a reminder of how talented the actress is. Jones’ impressive Ginsberg performance should’ve solidified her stature as a big-name actress, especially coming off the back of her multi-nominated role in 2014’s The Theory of Everything and, more notably, her part in 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but it didn’t.

Felicity Jones Should’ve Been A Bigger Star After Rogue One

Rogue One Made $1 Billion With Jones In The Lead

Besides the fact that Jones’ Oscar, BAFTA, and Golden Globe-nominated role in The Theory of Everything as Stephan Hawkins’s wife Jane should have been the launchpad for much more fame, her lead performance in the cast of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story also had great potential in boosting Jones into superstardom and faltered just as much. As Rogue One’s human heroine, Jyn Erso, Jones succeeded in drawing in and impressing Star Wars fans and critics alike. The Star Wars prequel had already been a considerable draw, but its female-led premise and talented lead actress helped Rogue One hit big.

From a $200 thousand budget (via Box Office Mojo), Rogue One blossomed into a $1 billion hit. On top of being a worldwide box office sensation, Rogue One changed the Star Wars franchise for the better by fixing canon plot holes, introducing CGI recreations of classic characters, and more. That said, no matter how big a Star Wars movie gets, it’s often for the franchise’s sake and not so much the movie’s lead. For that reason, Jones, like Hayden Christensen, Daisy Ridley, and others, are huge names in the Star Wars franchise but not nearly as big outside of it.

What Felicity Jones Has Done In Recent Years

Jones Has Performed In Several UK Projects Since 2018

Outside of what many would consider big-name performers or superstars, Jones is still very much regarded as a prominent actress, and she’s been in the business since 1996. She found her start in the role of Alice for the British television family film The Treasure Seekers and has performed in dozens of American or British TV shows and movies from there on. Besides acting in The Theory of Everything and Rogue One, Jones’ more notable roles include Sienna Brooks in the action crime movie Inferno and Anna in the romantic drama Like Crazy.

Most recently, Jones has performed in good, albeit not incredibly big projects. Similarly to her earlier career, Jones fluctuates between American and UK-based undertakings – though, in the past several years, Jones seems to favor film roles from the United Kingdom. It may be a personal choice to keep within the bounds of the UK to foster her career, but whether in America, like she was for On the Basis of Sex, or the UK, where she appears to be establishing herself now, and no matter in what scale of the project, Jones’ acting prowess is still increasingly deserving of kudos.

Source: Box Office Mojo