Ron Cephas Jones, who played William Hill — the biological father of Sterling K. Brown’s Randall — on This Is Us, earning two Emmy Awards, has passed away. The actor was 66, succumbing to a “long-standing pulmonary issue.”
Over the course of his appearances on This Is Us, Ron Cephas Jones earned four consecutive Emmy nominations, with one for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and three for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series. He is just one of four actors to win the latter multiple times.
Sterling K. Brown, who had some of This Is Us’ best scenes with Ron Cephas Jones, paid tribute to the late actor on Instagram while also nodding to his character, who passed away from cancer. “Life imitated art today, and one of the most wonderful people the world has ever seen is no longer with us. @cephasjaz has passed away, and the world is a little less bright. Brother, you are loved. And you will be missed. Keep them laughing in the next phase of existence, and I’ll see you when I get there.”
Ron Cephas Jones’ onscreen career began in the mid-‘90s, going on the appear in early turns for directors like Spike Lee and Woody Allen, in addition to bits on major programming such as Law & Order and NYPD Blue. But it wasn’t until the middle part of last decade that Jones really broke out. In addition to his terrific work on This Is Us, Jones also played fsociety member Romero on Mr. Robot, Kipling patriarch Winston on Netflix’s The Get Down, Luke Cage friend Bobby Fish, and Octavia Spencer’s father on Apple TV+’s Truth Be Told, in addition to appearing on miniseries Lisey’s Story. Recent film credits include Dog Days (2018), Netflix seasonal rom-com The Holiday Calendar (also 2018) and Dolemite Is My Name (2019). Appropriately enough, one of his last television credits was on spinoff series Law & Order: Organized Crime, bringing his career full circle.
A statement from a representative for Ron Cephas Jones’ read, in part: “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.”
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