Ron Cephas Jones facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ron Cephas Jones
Jones in 2017
Born	(1957-01-08)January 8, 1957 Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	August 19, 2023(2023-08-19) (aged 66)
Other names	Ron C. Jones
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1980s–2023
Children	Jasmine Cephas Jones

Ron Cephas Jones (born January 8, 1957 – died August 19, 2023) was an American actor. He was most famous for playing William Hill in the TV show This Is Us from 2016 to 2022. For this role, he won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Best Guest Actor in a Drama Series, in 2018 and 2020.

Ron Cephas Jones also appeared in other popular TV shows like Mr. Robot, The Get Down, and Luke Cage. He acted in many movies too, including Half Nelson, Across the Universe, and Dolemite Is My Name.

Early life and education

Ron Cephas Jones was born on January 8, 1957, in Paterson, New Jersey. He went to John F. Kennedy High School. Later, he studied at Ramapo College.

At Ramapo College, Ron first planned to study jazz music. But during his second year, he got the main role in a play called Cinderella Ever After. This made him change his mind, and he decided to study theater instead. He finished college in 1978.

After college, Ron moved to Los Angeles, California. For four years, he worked as a bus driver. He then lived in different places like San Francisco, Arizona, and New Orleans. In 1985, he moved back to New York City.

Acting career highlights

When Ron returned to New York in 1985, he started spending time at the Nuyorican Poets Café. This is a famous place for artists and writers. He performed in a play there that was based on the song "Don't Explain" by Billie Holiday.

A casting director noticed his performance. This led to Ron getting a main role in the play Holiday Heart in 1994. He also performed in plays with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago. He even played the main character in Shakespeare's play Richard III in New York City. In 2022, he was nominated for a Tony Award for his role in the play Clyde's.

On television, Ron played Reverend Lowdown in Low Winter Sun. He was also Romero in the TV series Mr. Robot. He appeared as Frazier in Banshee. In Marvel's Luke Cage, he played Bobby Fish, a chess master.

His most famous role was William Hill in the NBC show This Is Us. He played the biological father of Randall Pearson, a character played by Sterling K. Brown. Ron received a lot of praise for his acting in This Is Us. He won two Emmy Awards for this role in 2018 and 2020.

Ron also appeared in the Hulu series Looking for Alaska. He was also in the Apple TV+ show Truth Be Told, acting alongside Octavia Spencer.

Family and personal life

Ron Cephas Jones had a daughter named Jasmine Cephas Jones. She is also a successful actress on stage and screen. Her mother is British-born jazz singer Kim Lesley.

Death

Ron Cephas Jones passed away in August 2023. He was 66 years old. He died because of a "long-standing pulmonary issue," which means he had a breathing problem for a long time.

Filmography

Film

Television

Video games

Awards and nominations

Ron Cephas Jones won several awards for his acting. Here are some of his notable awards and nominations:

See also

In Spanish: Ron Cephas Jones para niños

• Lists of actors
• Jasmine Cephas Jones