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Ron and Jasmine Cephas Jones Are a Powerful Acting Duo! Meet the ‘This Is Us’ Star’s Emmy-Winning Daughter
Like father, like daughter! This Is Us star Ron Cephas Jones has captivated audiences with his portrayal of William Hill on the hit NBC drama series since 2016. His daughter, actress Jasmine Cephas Jones, followed in his footsteps to lead her own successful career in Hollywood. The duo have gone on to act side by side and made Emmys history together in 2020.
Ron kickstarted his career working in theater in the late ‘80s. The New Jersey native became a mainstay in Off-Broadway productions before becoming a father. He met jazz singer Kim Lesley at the start of his career, and the pair welcomed Jasmine on July 21, 1989. At a young age, Jasmine was exposed to the world of theater, traveling with Ron to his auditions and hanging out at the Nuyorican Poets Café. Ron and Kim split up but were dedicated to coparenting for the sake of their young daughter.
“It took sacrifices on both sides and … therapy,” the Luke Cage actor told Essence in December 2020. “We were separate parents, but we were committed to being parents. We’re proud of her success, but more than anything, she’s happy and she’s healthy. And that’s really all a parent can ask for.”
After years of watching her father perform in stage productions like Shakespeare’s Richard III and Titus Andronicus, Jasmine landed a life-changing role. She originated the roles of Maria Reynolds and Margarita “Peggy” Schuyler in Hamilton on Broadway until 2016. The Grammy winner went on to star in the 2018 film Blindspotting. She later produced and starred in a television adaption of the movie.
In 2018, Ron and Jasmine both appeared in the comedy film Dog Days before she snagged a supporting role in the 2020 Quibi series #FreeRayshawn. She won her first Emmy for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series for her portrayal of Tyisha. That same year, Ron earned the Emmy for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for This Is Us. This marked the first time in Emmys history that a father-daughter duo won Emmy Awards in the same year.
“As a parent that’s the most fulfilling that I could ever feel at the moment. Winning another Emmy is the icing on the cake, but to see my daughter progress and move into this place where she’s earned an Emmy is beyond words and I tear up every time I think about it to be honest with you,” Ron said in a virtual backstage press room after his win. “To see my daughter become healthy and happy, that’s a parent’s dream.”
In 2021, Jasmine and Ron announced the Emmy nominations together, a full-circle moment for the pair. The Honest Thief star still credits her father for introducing her into the world of acting and helping her branch out into all areas of the entertainment world.
“Years ago, he would take me into the theater. I would sit in the lighting booth doing my homework, and [from] people from the costume department [watching] me while he was onstage to us both breaking a record of being the first father and daughter to win an Emmy in the same year, it’s pretty crazy and super special,” Jasmine told Who What Wear in June 2021.
