Ron Cephas Jones

Ron Cephas Jones (/siːfəs/; January 8, 1957 – August 19, 2023) was an American actor, best known for his role as William Hill in the drama series This Is Us (2016–2022), which earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award; along with four consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations, winning twice for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2018 and 2020.

Jones appeared in television series such as Mr. Robot (2015–2016), The Get Down (2016–2017), Luke Cage (2016–2018), and Truth Be Told (2019–2023). He also appeared in a number of films, including Paid In Full (2002) Half Nelson (2006), Across the Universe (2007), Glass Chin (2014), The Holiday Calendar (2018), Dog Days (2018), and Dolemite Is My Name (2019).

In 2022, he was nominated for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play at the 75th Tony Awards, for his performance in the Broadway play Clyde's.

Early life and education

Ron Cephas Jones, who was of African American heritage, was born on January 8, 1957.^{[citation needed]}

He grew up in Paterson, New Jersey. He attended John F. Kennedy High School and then Ramapo College.^[1] While at Ramapo, Jones had originally intended to study jazz under director Arnold Jones (no relation), but changed majors to theater after getting the lead in a production of Cinderella Ever After his sophomore year.^[2][3] He graduated from Ramapo in 1978.^[2]

After graduation he moved to Los Angeles, California and drove a bus for the Southern California Rapid Transit District for the following four years.^[2] He then moved around for some years, living in San Francisco, Arizona, and New Orleans, before returning to New York City in 1985.^[2]

Career

After returning to New York in 1985, Jones began spending time at the Nuyorican Poets Café in Manhattan's East Village.^[3] During that time, he performed in a play based on the Billie Holiday song "Don't Explain".^[2] His performance caught the attention of a casting director, which led to Jones being offered the lead role in the Tazewell Thompson production of the Cheryl West play Holiday Heart in 1994.^[2] Jones performed in several theatrical productions with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois; appeared as the title character of Shakespeare's Richard III with The Public Theater in New York City, New York, as well as other Off Broadway productions. Jones served as an understudy or standby in several Broadway theatre productions. In 2014 Jones starred as Prometheus in Prometheus Bound directed by Travis Preston through the CalArts Center for New Performance.^[4] In 2022, he received a Tony Award nomination for his role in the Lynn Nottage play Clyde's.

His film credits include his most memorable role as Harlem drug dealer, Rich Porter's uncle "Ice" aka Johnny "Apple" Porter in the 2002 Roc-A-Fella produced film 'Paid In Full' as well as He Got Game (1998), Sweet and Lowdown (1999), Half Nelson (2006), and Across The Universe (2007). In television, he appeared as Reverend Lowdown in the episode "The Goat Rodeo" of the 2013 television series Low Winter Sun and he played Romero, a member of "fsociety" in the 2015 television series Mr. Robot.^[5] He also appeared on season 3 of the show Banshee as Philadelphia kingpin Mr. Frazier. He played Harlem chess master Bobby Fish in season 1 of Marvel's Luke Cage. Jones appeared on the NBC drama series This Is Us as William Hill, the biological father of Randall Pearson (Sterling K. Brown). Jones received critical acclaim for his performance on This Is Us and received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2018 and 2020 for his performance.

Jones appeared in the Hulu teen drama series Looking for Alaska, as well as the Apple TV+ crime drama series Truth Be Told, opposite Octavia Spencer, Lizzy Caplan and Aaron Paul.

Personal life

Jones and British-born jazz singer Kim Lesley had a daughter, actress Jasmine Cephas Jones^[6] (born 1989).

Death

Jones had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and underwent a double lung transplant in 2020.^[7] He died on August 19, 2023, at the age of 66, from what his agent termed "a long-standing pulmonary issue".^[8]

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Awards and nominations

See also

• Lists of actors
• List of people from Chicago
• Jasmine Cephas Jones
• List of people from New York City

References

1. ^ "How hit show This Is Us is connected to NJ — NO spoilers, scout’s honor!", WKXW, February 23, 2017. Accessed February 17, 2018. "First, the cast includes New Jersey native, Ron Cephas Jones. The Paterson native who played William (Randall's biological dad) graduated John F. Kennedy High School and then attended Ramapo College in Mahwah. Jones also has had recent roles in Mr. Robot & Luke Cage."
2. ^ "LAByrinth Theater Company – Company Members". Archived from the original on October 19, 2013. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
3. ^ "Ron Cephas Jones on the Bridge Project". Archived from the original on May 9, 2013. Retrieved September 19, 2013.
4. ^ "CalArts Center for New Performance – » Prometheus BoundCalArts Center for New Performance". CalArts Center for New Performance
5. ^ Stanhope, Kate (April 16, 2015). "USA's 'Mr. Robot' Nabs 'Gotham,' 'Sopranos' Actors for Recurring Roles (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 17, 2015.
6. ^ "'This Is Us' Star Ron Cephas Jones Spills On His Stellar TV Performance And Working With His Daughter In 'Dog Days'". August 17, 2018. Retrieved April 18, 2020.
7. ^ Traub, Alex (August 21, 2023). "Ron Cephas Jones, 66, Soulful ‘This Is Us’ Star With Two Emmys, Dies". The New York Times. p. B5. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
8. ^ "Ron Cephas Jones, Emmy-Winning 'This Is Us' Actor, Dead at 66". People. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
9. ^ "Ron Cephas Jones - Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com
10. ^ Petski, Denise (2022-11-30). "'Genius: MLK/X' Adds Ron Cephas Jones, Gary Carr, Hubert Point-Du Jour In Lead Roles, 5 More Cast". Deadline. Retrieved 2023-08-20.