“Task” Star Emilia Jones Reflects on Cathartic Role, Potential anthology Future
Emilia Jones, breakout star of the critically acclaimed series “Task,” detailed her experience embodying the character of Maeve and the impact the show had on her personal growth in a recent interview with Deadline. Jones, who rose too prominence following her role in the Oscar-winning film CODA, described finding the role of Maeve “cathartic” and a welcome challenge.
Jones recounted a thoughtful gesture toward her young co-star, Ben Doherty (Sam), providing him with a Polaroid camera to document his first professional acting experience. “He was just so happy to be on set,” Jones explained, “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.”
The interview also revealed a memorable on-set moment involving Oliver Eisenson (Wyatt), who repeatedly delivered the line “chicken butthole” – a phrase he clearly enjoyed. “That was little Oliver Eisenson, who plays Wyatt.Wyatt loved saying chicken butthole just as much as Oliver loved it,” jones shared. “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.”
Looking ahead, Jones expressed hope for the future of “Task,” hinting at the possibility of an anthology format. ”I’ve caught wind of it [being an anthology], and I really hope that that happens,” she said. “Brad is such an amazing writer and I think his characters are so layered and complex…I think it would be a shame not to keep this world alive.”
Jones emphasized the significant impact CODA had on her career, calling it a “game changer” and expressing gratitude to director Sian Hader for taking a risk on her despite her lack of prior singing or signing experience. “For every skill that was required for that film, I had a big fat NO by every single one of them,” she admitted. “And for some reason, the director Sian Hader took a risk and cast me.I’ll be forever grateful for Sian and for that film.” She added that CODA ultimately paved the way for her involvement in “Task,” a role she found particularly meaningful, allowing her to explore personal themes and grow as an actress.
Ultimately, Jones hopes Maeve finds the support she needs to prioritize her own well-being. “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,” Jones stated. “I would like to think that she’s living a happy life with Harper, Wyatt and the family that they are, but simultaneously occurring, being able to grow as a person and learn to do a few things for herself, as my goodness, she deserves it.”
