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
Alma mater	Ramapo College
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1977–2023
Children	Jasmine Cephas Jones

Ron Cephas Jones (/ˈsiːfəs/; January 8, 1957 – August 19, 2023) was an American actor, best known for his role asWilliam Hill in the drama seriesThis Is Us (2016–2022), which earned him aScreen Actors Guild Award; along with four consecutivePrimetime Emmy Award nominations, winning twice forOutstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2018 and 2020.

Jones appeared in television series such asMr. Robot (2015–2016),The Get Down (2016–2017),Luke Cage (2016–2018), andTruth Be Told (2019–2023). He also appeared in a number of films, including 'Paid In Full' (2002)Half Nelson (2006),Across the Universe (2007),Glass Chin (2014),The Holiday Calendar (2018),Dog Days (2018), andDolemite Is My Name (2019).

In 2022, he was nominated forBest Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play at the75th Tony Awards, for his performance in the Broadway playClyde's.

Ron Cephas Jones, who was ofAfrican American heritage, was born on January 8, 1957.^{[citation needed]}

He grew up inPaterson, New Jersey. He attendedJohn F. Kennedy High School and thenRamapo College.^[1] While at Ramapo, Jones had originally intended to study jazz under director Arnold Jones (no relation), but changed majors to theater after getting the lead in a production ofCinderella Ever After his sophomore year.^[2][3] He graduated from Ramapo in 1978.^[2]

After graduation he moved toLos Angeles, California and drove a bus for theSouthern California Rapid Transit District for the following four years.^[2] He then moved around for some years, living in San Francisco,Arizona, andNew Orleans, before returning to New York City in 1985.^[2]

After returning to New York in 1985, Jones began spending time at theNuyorican Poets Café in Manhattan'sEast Village.^[3] During that time, he performed in a play based on theBillie Holiday song "Don't Explain".^[2] His performance caught the attention of a casting director, which led to Jones being offered the lead role in theTazewell Thompson production of theCheryl West playHoliday Heart in 1994.^[2] Jones performed in several theatrical productions with theSteppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois; appeared as the title character ofShakespeare'sRichard III withThe Public Theater in New York City, New York, as well as otherOff Broadway productions. Jones served as anunderstudy orstandby in several Broadway theatre productions. In 2014 Jones starred as Prometheus inPrometheus Bound directed byTravis Preston through theCalArts Center for New Performance.^[4] In 2022, he received aTony Award nomination for his role in theLynn Nottage playClyde's.

His film credits include his most memorable role as Harlem drug dealer, Rich Porter's uncle "Ice" aka Johnny "Apple" Porter in the 2002 Roc-A-Fella produced film 'Paid In Full' as well asHe Got Game (1998),Sweet and Lowdown (1999),Half Nelson (2006), andAcross The Universe (2007). In television, he appeared as Reverend Lowdown in the episode "The Goat Rodeo" of the 2013 television seriesLow Winter Sun and he played Romero, a member of "fsociety" in the 2015 television seriesMr. Robot.^[5] He also appeared on season 3 of the showBanshee as Philadelphia kingpin Mr. Frazier. He played Harlem chess master Bobby Fish in season 1 ofMarvel'sLuke Cage. Jones appeared on the NBCdrama seriesThis Is Us as William Hill, the biological father of Randall Pearson (Sterling K. Brown). Jones received critical acclaim for his performance onThis Is Us and received aPrimetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2018 and 2020 for his performance.

Jones appeared in theHuluteen drama seriesLooking for Alaska, as well as theApple TV+ crime drama seriesTruth Be Told, oppositeOctavia Spencer,Lizzy Caplan andAaron Paul.

Jones and British-born jazz singer Kim Lesley had a daughter, actressJasmine Cephas Jones^[6] (born 1989).

Jones hadchronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and underwent a doublelung transplant in 2020.^[7] He died on August 19, 2023, at the age of 66, from what his agent termed "a long-standing pulmonary issue".^[8]

• Lists of actors
• List of people from Chicago
• Jasmine Cephas Jones
• List of people from New York City

• Ron Cephas Jones at theInternet Broadway Database
• Ron Cephas Jones atIMDb 
• Ron Cephas Jones at theInternet Off-Broadway Database (archived)

• 1957 births
• 2023 deaths
• 20th-century African-American male actors
• 20th-century American male actors
• 21st-century African-American male actors
• 21st-century American male actors
• Male actors from Paterson, New Jersey
• American male Shakespearean actors
• American male film actors
• American male stage actors
• American male television actors
• American male voice actors
• John F. Kennedy High School (Paterson, New Jersey) alumni
• Male actors from Chicago
• Male actors from New York City
• Primetime Emmy Award winners
• Ramapo College alumni
• Theatre in Chicago
• Deaths from lung disease

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