Winner Trailer: Emilia Jones Star Takes on the Real-Life Story of a Reality Winner a Year After Sydney Sweeney

Emilia Jones will star as Reality Winner, taking over from Sydney Sweeney. Read on to learn more!

By Tanisha Chhabra

Published on Aug 30, 2024 | 02:00 PM IST | 44.1K

Emilia Jones in Winner (PC: YouTube/ONE Media)

Emilia Jones has been cast as Reality Winner in an upcoming film about the life of a former NSA contractor. Vertical released the film's trailer on August 29, which was shared exclusively with PEOPLE.

Jones, best known for her role in CODA, plays Winner, who became well-known for leaking classified documents to the media. The trailer gives a glimpse into Winner's life, beginning with her upbringing in Texas. It follows her life from childhood to her time in the United States Air Force and finally to her position at the National Security Agency (NSA).

The film follows Winner's critical decision to send classified documents to The Intercept, which revealed Russian attempts to meddle in the 2016 US presidential election. Winner was arrested and sentenced to more than four years in prison as a result of the leak.

The film not only explores the political and legal ramifications of Winner's actions, but also delves into her personal life, providing insight into the motivations and circumstances that led her to reveal sensitive information. By focusing on these aspects, the film hopes to provide a more nuanced understanding of Winner's life and the far-reaching consequences of her actions.

Jones revealed to IndieWire in January that she had a deep relationship with Winner while researching the role, saying, "This is exactly what we aim to achieve with the film—humanize her and illustrate that she is much more than a mere headline."

Jones is the actor who played Winner opposite Sydney Sweeney in HBO's 2023 film Reality. It was adapted from the transcript of Winner's June 3, 2017, interview with FBI agents.

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