Felicity Jones and Joel Edgerton talk AI, dual screen watching, and their film’s environmental message

This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine.

Australian actor and writer Joel Edgerton, 51, and Birmingham-born Felicity Jones, 42, take us back to the railroad frontiers of early 20th-century America in their new film Train Dreams.

Adapted from US author Denis Johnson’s novella, it charts the joy and pain endured by Robert Grainier (Edgerton), a logger and railroad worker in the Pacific Northwest, with his wife Gladys. The film celebrates quiet stoicism in a swiftly changing world.

As actors who’ve played in the Star Wars universe (Joel in a film and TV show, and Felicity in spin-off movie Rogue One), was the prospect of a grounded film that puts an “average” couple centre-stage particularly appealing?

JOEL EDGERTON I think people like to see ordinary lives reflected on screen. Why not celebrate the heroic nature of an ordinary life? Is falling in love not a big event?

FELICITY JONES In today’s world, it’s particularly important to celebrate the value of being thoughtful and considered.

JOEL Probably 99 per cent of us will never be written into the history books. Like George Bailey discovered in It’s a Wonderful Life, if we’re lucky enough to live a long life, the journey is worth it.

What can a film set in the early 1900s teach us about life today?

FELICITY You’re at the mercy of whatever time you’re in. We feel we have so much control, but actually we have very little, and it depends on the technological shifts we experience.

JOEL Robert feels the same existential threat from the introduction of the chainsaw as we feel today with AI.

If you were transported to that time, what would you miss from today’s world?

FELICITY Washing machines and dishwashers. Love those!

JOEL Having access to every single piece of music at all times. But if some world event caused the internet to crash, I’d adapt quickly. I hate being spoiled for choice. I get intimidated when I walk into a bookstore. I read Train Dreams because someone handed it to me and I trusted them.

Joel, since you first read the book in 2014, you’ve become a father to four-year-old twin boys. How has that changed your perspective on its themes of protecting your family?

JOEL The book’s a very human exploration of violence. This man is a good person who stumbled into a difficult situation and wore the guilt of his experience. But rereading it after becoming a father, I connected in a whole different bunch of ways. I feel like I’m more equipped to do it, but it’s a little scarier to put my greatest fears on screen. I’ve played so many fathers and now I want to see if I can get it right!

Robert is a man of few words. Was that a challenge to convey?

JOEL I discovered in the Covid lockdowns I was really comfortable being at home, not interacting with anyone other than my partner. I’d always defined myself as an extrovert, then I realised it was all smoke and mirrors to parade myself and play a character in public. I’m actually a bit of a hermit. If allowed to, I’d happily spend the whole day at home.

Felicity, how did it feel to move from filming the four-hour epic The Brutalist to this more intimate and low-key film?

FELICITY In a strange way, they’re similar in that they’re both exploring the American dream, but from very different angles. I think what’s so exciting at the moment is that audiences seem to want these really idiosyncratic, distinctive films.

Your roles look quite physically demanding — was that intimidating at all?

FELICITY Exploring the outdoor way of life was a big draw for me, and the physicality is a huge part of that. Gladys moves in a really direct way. She’s not overthinking everything like we do today when we’re in ten places in our heads all the time. She is wise but pragmatic.

JOEL Growing up, I lived on the edge of a national park in Australia. I collected tadpoles, and I was always building weapons. Now I live a much more cerebral life – I was building a volcano kit for my kids the other day, and even following the instruction manual, I forgot a key stage.

Does living among nature appeal to you?

FELICITY There’s something about living in nature and realising how changeable everything is – you get hardened to the cycles of life and death on a daily basis.

JOEL I like meeting rural people. You can almost tell straightaway, even if you meet them in the middle of the city – they’re capable, they don’t fuss, and they’re often blunt.

Do you feel that there’s an environmental message about humanity’s impact on nature in this film?

JOEL There is, but it’s quite gentle; this isn’t a film trying to push one message. We have to remind ourselves that, although we’re capable of pretending we’re the rulers of this world, we are just one of the animals on it.

FELICITY We have a reciprocal relationship with nature, and we have to respect it, otherwise it will show us the destruction it can cause.

After a cinema release, Train Dreams will be on Netflix — do you mind people dual-screening or even just watching it on their phones?

JOEL I’ve even seen people dual-screening in the cinema – who dares do that? Dude in row D, seat 11: you’re dead to me! I hope that in the sanctuary of their homes, people will allow themselves to stay with the film from start to finish.

FELICITY I believe in “best story wins”. If the story works, you don’t want to look at your phone. I feel that with this, it’s testament to the storytelling – you get hooked into these characters, you want to keep watching.

The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here.

Train Dreams is released in cinemas on Friday 7th November 2025.

Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.