Ishika Roy, Pune
Emmy-winning actor Ron Cephas Jones, popularly known for his role in the television series ‘This is Us’ died yesterday of a “persistent pulmonary ailment,” according to an official statement released to People Magazine by his representative. Jones had won the Emmy twice in the Best Guest Actor category for his critically acclaimed role as William “Shakespeare” Hill in the show.
Jones’s work history includes shows like Mr.Robot, Law and Order: Organized Crime, Truth be Told, Better Things, and Looking for Alaska. He has done several films and is a veteran theatre practitioner associated with stage productions like “Of Mice and Men”, “Richard III” and “The Father” to name a few. His first Emmy came in 2018 and the second in 2020.
Jones played the role of the biological father of Randall, played by Sterling K. Brown. Brown took to Instagram to pay tribute to Jones – “Life imitated art today, and one of the most wonderful people life 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.”
A lifelong smoker, Jones underwent a double lung transplant in May 2020 at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Centre because of his obstructive lung disease. He passed away at the age of 66 and is survived by his daughter, Jasmine Cephas Jones.