Ron Cephas Jones death: tributes as Emmy-winning star of This Is Us and Truth Be Told has died aged 66

Emmy Award-winning actor Ron Cephas Jones, best known for his role as a long-lost father who finds redemption on the TV series This Is Us, died on Saturday (19 August) aged 66, his manager confirmed.

The New Jersey-born star had a double lung transplant in 2020 because of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and spent nearly two months in a hospital in Los Angeles. He died as a result of a long-standing pulmonary issue and tributes have poured in for the star.

Though Jones had a long career on the stage before becoming a screen actor, he found success through his many TV and film roles. Jones' early screen roles included appearances in Law & Order, NYPD Blue, and a run of TV movies. In 2006 he starred alongside Ryan Gosling in drama film Half Nelson, playing teacher Mr. Dickson.

He played Romero in hacker series Mr. Robot, and starred in Netflix drama musical The Get Down and Marvel series Luke Cage. Jones' biggest role came in 2016 when he took on the role of William Hill in comedy drama This Is Us - he went on two win two Primetime Emmy Awards for his performance.

His last screen role came in Apple TV drama mystery series Truth Be Told, where he played Leander Scoville, starring alongside Octavia Spencer, although he is also set to appear in Genius: MLK/X, about the lives of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, which is currently in post-production.

What tributes have been paid to Ron Cephas Jones?

Jones’ manager, Dan Spilo, said: “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,” Mr Spilo said.

Sterling K Brown, who played Randall, the son of Jones' character in This Is Us, said in an Instagram post: “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.”

This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Ron was the best of the best — on screen, on stage, and in real life. 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.”

He is survived by his daughter, Jasmine Cephas Jones, who has followed in her father's footsteps, becoming a successful stage actor with parts in Broadway show Hamilton.