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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Kyle O'Sullivan

Aled Jones' daughter who became overnight star and why she won't work with him

Aled Jones is fairly well recognised on these shores - but now his daughter has achieved worldwide fame.

Although it's taken Emilia Jones, who is only 20-years-old, a bit longer than her dad to achieve celebrity status as he was only 12 when he first sang Walking In The Air for the animated film The Snowman.

The Welsh singer met circus performer Claire Fossett when they both performed in Joseph And The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat in Blackpool - with the couple getting married in London in 2001.

They went on to have two children, son Lucas and daughter Emilia, who followed her dad into the showbiz world.

Emilia was just 8 when her acting career began in 2010 in the film One Day and since then she has appeared in Channel 4 drama Utopia, an episode of Doctor Who in 2013 and a small role in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Strange Tides.

After playing a young Princess Fiona in Shrek the Musical in 2011, she went on to have lead roles in films such as Brimstone, Ghostland and Horrible Histories.

Emilia Jones attending the Vanity Fair Oscar Party this week (Doug Peters/EMPICS Entertainment)
Amelia's famous dad is singer Aled Jones (anr pr)

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"It's been great for me just watching from the background. I love that," said Aled in an appearance on Good Morning Britain in February.

"The fact that she loves what she's doing and she’s great at it, so long may it last."

When asked by GMB host Kate Garraway if he'd offered his daughter any words of wisdom on dealing with fame, he replied: "When do daughters ever listen to their dads, come on! No, I don’t give her advice.

"She’s so level-headed. She does it for the work. She loves acting and being on set."

Emilia became an overnight star after playing the lead role in Oscar-winning movie CODA, which stands for Child of Deaf Adults.

She played Ruby Rossi, the only hearing member of her family, and the actress spent nine months learning American Sign Language while still filming Netflix series Locke & Key.

Emilia has become a big star (James Veysey/REX/Shutterstock for BAFTA)

"I loved singing, but I'd never had a singing lesson before, but I also had to learn how to fish," she explained on This Morning.

"So I'd wake up at 3am every morning for two weeks and we'd go out three miles at sea and catch fish for hours and hours. And the Massachusetts accent, I had to learn that too."

Emilia explained that her parents had always been incredible supportive of her endeavours.

"They've sacrificed a lot for me to do this so I'm very grateful to have them," she said.

"You always have to make sacrifices... there have been times for me where I have been invited to things with my friends and I haven't gone because I wanted to work and better myself as an actor and focus on my auditions.

"You say no more than you say yes but you shouldn't let it get you down."

Emilia and the rest of the CODA cast celebrating their award (Getty Images)

Emilia, who was labelled as '2022's Breakout Star to Watch,' by Vogue, was nominated in the prestigious Best Actress category at the Oscars alongside Lady Gaga, Joanna Scanlan and Tessa Thompson.

While she didn't win the gong, CODA did get the Best Picture award and the actress took to the stage with the rest of the cast and production on Sunday night.

Emilia beat hundreds of actresses to the role by audition tapes to the film's producers with four speaking scenes and a performance singing 'Landslide' by Fleetwood Mac.

It's not just her dad who has performing bones in his body, as mum Claire Fossett is a former circus performer.

On This Morning, writer and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth revealed: "You know Aled Jones, but you may not know [Emilia’s] mum, Claire Fossett from the distinguished circus family. She is a trapeze artist."

Aled says he can't afford to work with his daughter (Supplied by Imagine Cruising)

He went on to explain that they are neighbors, adding: "In their front room they have a reinforced chandelier. So, Claire, on a good day, can actually swing from the chandelier."

The family live in south west London, but when Emilia is not there she is off living in LA.

It doesn't look like she will be performing with dad Aled anytime soon as she's just too famous these days.

On Good Morning Britain, host Ben Shephard asked: "It must be such immense pride as a father to be about to talk about her achievement. Have you got an eye on her wondering if we can do something together?"

Aled replied: "She’s too busy to work for me. She’s like no, forget it. She’s more into pop music than my scene. She’s in LA! I can’t afford her!"

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