British Actors You Should Know: Toby Jones

There are certain actors who turn in such consistently excellent and interesting performances that you know watching their work is always going to be worth your time. For me, Toby Jones is one such actor. Be it BBC or Hollywood, big or small screen, comedy or drama, Mr. Jones’ versatility belies his unique physical attributes. He immerses himself totally into any given character until the short and slight of stature Toby practically melts away.

It’s a skill he’s been working on his entire life. Everyone in the Jones family has been in the entertainment business including his 88 year old father, Freddie Jones, who is still actively working on the British soap Emmerdale. Jones studied drama in Manchester and Paris before making it as a working actor. He did a stint as a pathologist on Midsomer Murders in the late 90’s, played Secretary of State Robert Cecil to Helen Mirren’s Elizabeth I and provided the voice for Dobby the House Elf in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Then in 2006, Jones snagged his first starring role playing Truman Capote in the film Infamous. Rex Reed, critic for the New York Observer said this of Jones’ performance, “A diminutive actor with a titanic talent named Toby Jones literally becomes the man himself. This is no lisping impersonation learned from watching old Johnny Carson shows: Mr. Jones moves into Truman's skin, heart and brains.”