Thom Jones ’91
Thom Jones ’91 is a highly accomplished dialect and vocal coach who has helped dozens of actors appearing on stage and screen, many went on to deliver award-winning performances.
Recently, Jones played a key role in preparing Da’Vine Joy Randolph for her role in The Holdovers, helping her perfect the specific dialect required for the film’s time and place. Her critically acclaimed performance in the role of Mary Lamb, earned Randolph the Oscar, Golden Globe, Critics Choice, and BAFTA awards for Best Supporting Actress.
Since then, Jones has worked as dialect coach with Calista Flockhart for Feud: Capote vs. The Swans (FX), Nicole Kidman for Expats (Amazon Prime), and Lashana Lynch for The Marvels (2023).
Notably, he’s coached actors who portray highly recognizable figures, including Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in Being the Ricardos (2021), Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin in Respect (2021), and Andra Day as Billie Holiday in The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021).
He also coached the cast of Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, including newcomer Rachel Zegler as Maria, a performance that earned a Golden Globe Best Actress award, and Ariana DeBose as Anita, who won the Oscar and the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress.
The list of performers goes on, including Ben Mendelsohn, Sissy Spacek, Lee Daniels, Emma Watson, Alan Rickman, Vanessa Redgrave, Robin Williams, Forest Whittaker, Rita Moreno, Mark Rylance, Mandy Patinkin, among many others.
In the Works
Jones is currently writing a book about voice work in relation to making art and living a creatively fulfilling life.
Read
- Vanity Fair: How Nicole Kidman Became Lucille Ball
- Los Angeles Times: It’s going to be a royal showdown come awards time
- The Hollywood Reporter: ‘West Side Story’ Team on Bringing Contemporary Authenticity to the Timeless Romance
