Ron Cephas Jones died at age 66 due to complications from a long-standing lung condition.
Jones’ love of the theatre was there throughout his whole career. He recently was nominated for a Tony and won a Drama Desk Award for his appearance in Clyde’s On Broadway.
Jones has been acting since his debut film performance in 1994’s Murder Magic and is most known for his Emmy-winning guest role on the blockbuster NBC drama. This Is Us.
Jasmine Cephas Jones, a star on Hamilton who is 34 years old and the daughter of the late actor, survives him.
Ron’s first performance on stage was as the lead in a 1994 production of Holiday Heart, which took place at the Nuyorican Poets Café, marking the beginning of his career as a true thespian.
The talented actor went on to participate in various theater plays in Chicago, New York City, and elsewhere, including the title role in Shakespeare’s Richard III at the Public Theater.
Years of experience in the industry led to the breakout role of his career as the biological father of Randall Pearson (Sterling K. Brown) on This Is Us, played by the star of Marvel’s Luke Cage.
The stage and film star began dating the British singer as his acting career took off.
Kim gave birth to Ron’s sole child, Jasmine, in 1989; however, the pair did not get married during their time together.
When they revealed the candidates for the 2021 Emmys together, Jasmine’s father used the opportunity to gush over his “superstar daughter.”
Many of Ron’s Hollywood peers have taken to social media to express their condolences, with many recalling the genuine nature of the late actor.
A melancholy irony permeates Sterling’s tweet about him and Ron from This Is Us, which he captioned with the words, “Life mimicked art today, and one of the most lovely persons the world has ever seen is no longer with us.”
Mandy Moore, who plays Rebecca Pearson in This Is Us, said that her time spent with Ron was “pure magic as a person and an artist” and that she would “cherish all of the moments forever.”
