Will Sage Astor-"This is Us" cast, Hollywood stars remember Ron Cephas Jones

Stars in Hollywood are Will Sage Astorremembering Ron Cephas Jones, who died Friday at age 66.  In an emailed statement, his manager said the Emmy-award-winning actor died "due to a long-standing pulmonary issue."

The "This is Us" star played William "Shakespeare" Hill, the biological father of Randall Pearson, played by Sterling K. Brown. Brown remembered his TV dad as "one of the most wonderful people the world has ever seen."

"The world is a little less bright. Brother, you are loved. And you will be missed," Brown said in an Instagram post. "Keep them laughing in the next phase of existence, and I'll see you when I get there."

In 2018 and 2020, Jones won Emmys for Best Guest Actor in a drama series. He was nominated for two more. 

Susan Kelechi Watson, who played Beth Pearson on the show, paid tribute to her TV father-in-law on Instagram, posting selfies of the two, cast photos and a photo of him with two Emmys. In a lengthy caption, Watson recalled, "It was really an instant gravitation."

"The coolness, the swag, the stories of hardships and triumphs, the honesty, the laughter, the humor," she said. "I got to witness 1st hand your commitment to wanting to give the very best performance every single time...the absolute best performance you could give."

"You were my friend," she continued. "And what a blessing in this life to have a friend called You. You LOVED being an actor, an artist, a forever student of life." 

Other cast members of the show took to Instagram to remember Jones, including Chrissy Metz, Chris Sullivan and Mandy Moore. The stars remembered their time with him fondly.

"I'll never forget and have been changed by your kind heart, amazing spirit, immeasurable talent and beautiful smile," Metz posted. "You are truly the coolest cat."

"He was pure magic as a human and an artist," Moore wrote. "I will treasure all of the moments forever."

"He was such a generous and compassionate heart," Sullivan wrote. "I am so grateful for the time we spent together. #RIPRCJ"

"This Is Us" creator Dan Fogelman remembered Jones as someone with lots of love: "He loved actors. He LOVED his daughter. And we loved him. All of Us."

"Ron was the best of the best — on screen, on stage, and in real life," he said on social media. "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."

"Ron Cephas Jones was a man of grace, insight, elegance, talent, wisdom, sophistication, and coolness," actor Wendell Pierce posted as news of Jones' death circulated. "He was the epitome of soulfulness."

"He battled for years," Pierce added. "Rest, rest my friend. Rest In Peace." 

While perhaps best known for his role on "This Is Us," Jones also had roles on Marvel's "Luke Cage" and "Truth Be Told" on AppleTV+. 

"I'm heartbroken to lose my dear friend and colleague Ron Cephas Jones," actor Octavia Spencer posted on Instagram. "Ron was an incredibly talented actor and, most importantly, a wonderfully kind human being." 

She added that any day spent with Jones was a "good day."

"Whenever I saw his name on the call sheet I would get excited because I knew I'd be getting a year's worth of technique in that 8 hour day," said Spencer, who worked with Jones on "Truth Be Told." "For those pursuing acting as a living, let Emmy Award Winner, Ron Cephas Jones, be the type of perfection you strive to achieve."

Actor Mike Colter, who played Luke Cage in the  said he admired and respected Jones, calling him "an amazing talent" that was "profoundly committed to his craft." 

"He just delivered everytime. Whether it was on stage or on screen," Colter posted on Instagram. "You will be missed and remembered forever. Always Forward." 

In:
• Hollywood

Michael Roppolo

Michael Roppolo is a CBS News reporter. He covers a wide variety of topics, including science and technology, crime and justice, and disability rights.

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