Many of Ron Cephas Jones’ former This Is Us costars are honoring his legacy following his death.
“Life imitated art today, and one of the most wonderful people the world has ever seen is no longer with us,” Sterling K. Brown wrote via his Instagram on Saturday, August 19. “@cephasjaz has passed away, and the world is a little less bright.”
Brown, 47, played the biological son of Jones’ William Hill on NBC’s This Is Us. In the 2016 pilot, Brown’s Randall Pearson hired a private investigator to locate his birth father. After their reunion, William moved in with Randall, his wife Beth Pearson (Susan Kelechi Watson) and their daughters (Eris Baker and Faithe Herman) while navigating health challenges. Jones’ character died later in season 1 but continued to appear on the show in flashbacks and dream sequences.
Us Weekly confirmed on Saturday that Jones, who won two Emmy Awards for his role on This Is Us, had died 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,” his representative told Us in a statement. “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.”
The Tony Award nominee is survived by his daughter, actress Jasmine Cephas Jones, whom he shared with Kim Lesley.
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Scroll below to read the This Is Us cast’s tributes to Ron:
