‘This Is Us’ star Ron Cephas Jones dies aged 66

This Is Us star and Emmy-winning actor Ron Cephas Jones has died aged 66.

The news of Jones’ passing was revealed to Variety by a representative, who said: “Beloved and award-winning actor Ron Cephas Jones has passed away at the age of 66 due to a long-standing pulmonary issue.”

The statement added: “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.

“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.”

Jones’ most famous role came as William Hill, the biological father of Randall Pearson (Sterling K. Brown) on This Is Us, for which he scored four Emmy nominations and two wins for outstanding guest actor in a drama series in 2018 and 2020.

He and daughter Jasmine became the first father-daughter duo to win Emmys in the same year in 2020, when she won outstanding performance in a short form comedy or drama series.

That same year, Cephas Jones had a double lung transplant due to his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and spent the next two months in a Los Angeles hospital.

Paying tribute, his This Is Us co-star Sterling K. Brown said: “One of the most wonderful people the world has ever seen is no longer with us. The world is a little less bright. Brother, you are loved. And you will be missed.”

On Twitter, the show’s creator Dan Fogelman called him “the best of the best – on screen, on stage, and in real life”.

He added: “My God: what an actor. I don’t think I ever changed a single take of his in a cut because everything he did was perfect.”