Ron Cephas Jones Dies: Emmy-Winning ‘This Is Us’ Actor Was 66

Ron Cephas Jones, who won two Emmys for his recurring role on the NBC drama This Is Us, has passed away at the age of 66.

“Beloved and award-winning actor Ron Cephas Jones has passed away at the age of 66 due to a long-standing pulmonary issue,” a representative for Jones said in a statement to People. “Throughout the course of his career, his warmth, beauty, generosity, kindness and heart were felt by anyone who had the good fortune of knowing him. He began his career at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe and his love for the stage was present throughout his entire career, including his recent Tony nominated and Drama Desk Award winning performance for his role in Clyde’s on Broadway.”

The representative continued, “Ron’s inner-beauty and soul was evident to the huge audience from his multi-Emmy award winning performance on This is Us. He is survived by his daughter Jasmine Cephas Jones.”

Ron and Jasmine Cephas Jones were the first father and daughter to win Emmys the same year in 2020. That was the year he won his second Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his work as William Hill, Randall’s (Sterling K. Brown) biological father, on This Is Us; he won the first in 2018. (Jasmine won for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series for Quibi’s #FreeRayshawn.)

Maarten de Boer/NBC

“As a parent, that’s the most fulfilled I could ever feel. Winning another Emmy is icing on the cake, but to see my daughter move into this place where she’s earned an Emmy… it’s beyond words. I tear up every time I think about it,” he said at the time. “The highlight of this whole journey is to see my daughter become happy, successful, and healthy. That’s a parent’s dream. As a parent, nothing could be finer. Nothing. Out of all [my] Emmys, [my daughter] winning is everything. My heart explodes when I think about the success she is having.”

Brown paid tribute to his onscreen father on Instagram. “Life imitated art today, and one of the most wonderful people the world has ever seen is no longer with us. @cephasjaz has passed away, and the world is a little less bright. Brother, you are loved. And you will be missed. Keep them laughing in the next phase of existence, and I’ll see you when I get there,” he wrote alongside a photo of the two of them on This Is Us.

 

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Ron Cephas Jones was nominated two more times for Emmys for his This Is Us role, for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2017 and Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2019. He also won a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2018 for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series as part of the This Is Us cast.

Ron Cephas Jones’ first acting role came in 1994 in Murder Magic. His first TV role was on New York Undercover in 1996, followed by guest spots on Law & Order and NYPD Blue that same year and the year following. He then appeared in the Spike Lee film He Got Game in 1998 with Denzel Washington. He then guest starred in three episodes of Low Winter Sun in 2013 and, beginning in 2015, he was in nine episodes of Mr. Robot as a member of the mysterious hacker organization F Society.

His other TV credits included The Blacklist, The Get Down, Luke Cage, Looking for Alaska, Lisey’s Story, Better Things, and Law & Order: Organized Crime. His last role was on Truth Be Told.