The Short Answer: 1 Daughter
Ron Cephas Jones had one daughter — actress Jasmine Cephas Jones, born in 1989 — with British-born jazz singer Kim Lesley. The actor, born January 8, 1957, in Paterson, New Jersey, won two Emmy Awards for playing William Hill on NBC's This Is Us, and his daughter followed him into acting with her own breakout as Peggy Schuyler in Hamilton.
Jones died on August 19, 2023, at 66, after a long battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. His daughter Jasmine — now 37 — has spoken about their close bond, including performing with him and caring for him in his final years.
Before This Is Us, Jones was a veteran of stage and screen: Half Nelson (2006), Across the Universe (2007), Dolemite Is My Name (2019), and decades of theater work. His late-career Emmy wins, at 60 and 63, were among television's most beloved.
Biography Snapshot: Who Is Ron Cephas Jones?
Ron Cephas Jones (; January 8, 1957 – August 19, 2023) was an American actor, best known for his role as William Hill in the drama series This Is Us (2016–2022), which earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award; along with four consecutive Primetime Emmy Award nominations, winning twice for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2018 and 2020. Jones appeared in television series such as Mr. Robot (2015–2016), The Get Down (2016–2017), Luke Cage (2016–2018), and Truth 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), and Dolemite Is My Name (2019). In 2022, he was nominated for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play at the 75th Tony Awards, for his performance in the Broadway play Clyde's.
Early life and education Ron Cephas Jones, who was of African American heritage, was born on January 8, 1957. He grew up in Paterson, New Jersey. He attended John F. Kennedy High School and then Ramapo College. 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 of Cinderella Ever After his sophomore year. He graduated from Ramapo in 1978. After graduation he moved to Los Angeles, California and drove a bus for the Southern California Rapid Transit District for the following four years. He then moved around for some years, living in San Francisco, Arizona, and New Orleans, before returning to New York City in 1985.
Career After returning to New York in 1985, Jones began spending time at the Nuyorican Poets Café in Manhattan's East Village. During that time, he performed in a play based on the Billie Holiday song "Don't Explain". His performance caught the attention of a casting director, which led to Jones being offered the lead role in the Tazewell Thompson production of the Cheryl West play Holiday Heart in 1994. Jones performed in several theatrical productions with the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago, Illinois; appeared as the title character of Shakespeare's Richard III with The Public Theater in New York City, New York, as well as other Off Broadway productions. Jones served as an understudy or standby in several Broadway theatre productions. In 2014 Jones starred as Prometheus in Prometheus Bound directed by Travis Preston through the CalArts Center for New Performance. In 2022, he received a Tony Award nomination for his role in the Lynn Nottage play Clyde'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 as He Got Game (1998), Sweet and Lowdown (1999), Half Nelson (2006), and Across The Universe (2007). In television, he appeared as Reverend Lowdown in the episode "The Goat Rodeo" of the 2013 television series Low Winter Sun and he played Romero, a member of "fsociety" in the 2015 television series Mr. Robot. He also appeared on season 3 of the show Banshee as Philadelphia kingpin Mr. Frazier. He played Harlem chess master Bobby Fish in season 1 of Marvel's Luke Cage. Jones appeared on the NBC drama series This Is Us as William Hill, the biological father of Randall Pearson (Sterling K. Brown). Jones received critical acclaim for his performance on This Is Us and received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2018 and 2020 for his performance. Jones appeared in the Hulu teen drama series Looking for Alaska, as well as the Apple TV+ crime drama series Truth Be Told, opposite Octavia Spencer, Lizzy Caplan and Aaron Paul.
Ron Cephas Jones's Children: 1 Daughter
Jasmine Cephas Jones, born in 1989, is Ron Cephas Jones' only child. Now 37, Jasmine is an actress and singer best known for originating the dual roles of Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds in Broadway's Hamilton — winning a Grammy as part of the cast album — and for starring in Blindspotting.
Jasmine's mother is Kim Lesley, a British-born jazz singer with whom Jones had a long relationship. Jasmine has described growing up with a working-actor father in New Jersey and New York — backstage at theaters, on sets — and credits him with her love of the craft. The two even performed together, and she has called him her greatest teacher.
When Jones' health declined — he received a double lung transplant in 2020 — Jasmine became his advocate and caretaker, speaking publicly about his COPD battle. After his death in August 2023, she led the tributes, describing a father who taught her artistry, resilience, and grace.
Jones never married publicly, and Jasmine was his only child. Now 37, she carries his legacy forward — including the Emmy-winning talent and the work ethic of a man who spent decades in the trenches before This Is Us made him famous at 59.
Ron Cephas Jones' Relationship with Kim Lesley
Ron Cephas Jones' long-term partner was Kim Lesley, a British-born jazz singer. Their daughter Jasmine was born in 1989, when Jones was 32. The couple never married publicly, but their relationship produced one of Broadway's brightest stars.
Jones kept his personal life private throughout his career — no tabloid romances, no reality TV, just decades of work. His family, as he lived it, was Jasmine: he raised her as a working actor in the New York theater world, and she has described a childhood rich in art and short on glamour.
Jones died on August 19, 2023, at 66, of COPD-related causes. He is survived by his daughter Jasmine, who continues to honor him — most recently in interviews describing the father who gave her everything, including her name in lights.
Career Context: Why Ron Cephas Jones Is Famous
Death Jones had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and underwent a double lung transplant in 2020. He died on August 19, 2023, at the age of 66, from what his agent termed "a long-standing pulmonary issue".
Jones' Long Road to This Is Us
Ron Cephas Jones' overnight success took 40 years. Born January 8, 1957, in Paterson, New Jersey, he came up through New York theater — the Nuyorican Poets Café scene, off-Broadway productions, bit film parts — building the craft that would eventually make William Hill unforgettable. His film credits included He Got Game (1998), Half Nelson (2006), Across the Universe (2007), and Dolemite Is My Name (2019).
Then, at 59, came This Is Us. Cast as William Hill — Randall Pearson's biological father, a recovering addict and poet dying of cancer — Jones turned a guest arc into the show's soul. His performance in the Memphis episode, opposite Sterling K. Brown, is considered one of the finest hours of television acting of the decade. He won the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series in 2018, at 61, and again in 2020.
Off screen, he waged a quieter battle: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease that eventually required a double lung transplant in 2020. He kept working through it, and his daughter Jasmine — by then a Broadway star herself — became his advocate. He died on August 19, 2023, at 66. His final lesson, colleagues said, was the one he taught for decades in theater basements: the work is the reward — and then, finally, the world noticed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many kids did Ron Cephas Jones have?
One daughter — Jasmine Cephas Jones, born 1989, with Kim Lesley.
Who is Jasmine Cephas Jones?
His daughter — the actress who originated Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds in Broadway's Hamilton.
When did Ron Cephas Jones die?
August 19, 2023, at 66, after a long battle with COPD.
What was Ron Cephas Jones known for?
Playing William Hill on This Is Us — winning two Emmys — plus Half Nelson and Dolemite Is My Name.
Was Ron Cephas Jones married?
He was in a long-term relationship with jazz singer Kim Lesley; they never married publicly.
How old was Ron Cephas Jones?
Born January 8, 1957 — he was 66 when he died in 2023.
Did Ron Cephas Jones have a lung transplant?
Yes — he received a double lung transplant in 2020.