Sterling K. Brown, Mandy Moore and Chrissy Metz are among the stars paying tribute to Ron Cephas Jones following news of his death.
A rep for the actor confirmed to PEOPLE that Jones died “of a long-standing lung problem” on Saturday. He was 66.
“Life mimicked art today and one of the most wonderful people the world has ever seen is no longer with us,” Brown, 47, wrote in an Instagram post. “@cephasjaz passed away and the world is a little less rosy. Brother you are loved. And we will miss you.”
“Let them laugh in the next phase of their existence and we’ll see you when I get there.” ❤️✌🏿✊🏿,” he added, sharing a still of himself and Jones from This Is Us.
Jones played Brown’s long-lost biological father, William Hill, on the NBC show. He won two Emmy Awards for his role as a guest actor and appeared frequently throughout the show’s six seasons, which ended in May 2022.
“Meeting and working with Ron on the wild ride of ‘This Is Us’ has been the greatest gift,” wrote 39-year-old Moore, who played matriarch Rebecca on the series, in her own tribute post. “He was pure magic as a person and as an artist… I will cherish all moments forever.”
“Even though he wasn’t on set as much as we all would have liked, he was such an integral part of the show as if he had always been there,” she continued. “I will never forget how special it was to shoot this special episode and welcome him back to say a fitting farewell to our TIU family and the entire experience. i’m just so sad
“My thoughts and love are with Jasmine, his family and friends. I love you @cephasjaz,” the actress said goodbye.
Alongside her message, Moore shared a photo of herself with Jones from the penultimate episode of This Is Us.
Moore starred alongside her This Is Us co-star Jones in the final season.
Ron Batzdorff/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty
“Ron, thank you for lighting up every room you entered. I will never forget your kind heart, amazing spirit, immeasurable talent and beautiful smile and I have changed,” This Is Us co-star Metz, 42, captioned her own tribute. “May your transition be filled with light and peace. Sending all my love to Jasmine and his loved ones at this time.”
“You really are the coolest cat🐈⬛❤️🎭,” she added.
“It breaks my heart to lose my dear friend and colleague Ron Cephas Jones,” Octavia Spencer, Jones’ co-star on Truth Be Told, wrote on Instagram. “Ron was an incredibly talented actor and above all a wonderfully kind person. Every day on set with Ron was a good day. I send all my love to his daughter Jasmine, his family, his friends and his fans 🤍🕊️.”
Octavia Spencer also paid tribute to her Truth Be Tell co-star Jones.
Amy Sussman/Getty
Spencer, 53, continued: “Update: This is hitting me really hard. I learned so much from Ron in every single scene we had together. Whenever I saw his name on the call sheet, I got excited because I knew I would earn a year’s worth of technique in that 8-hour day.”
“For those who make a living out of acting, Emmy Award-winner Ron Cephas Jones is the kind of perfection they strive for. This man could destroy a scene. Jasmine honestly gets it,” she added.
Kate Hudson, who also appeared alongside Jones on the show, wrote on her Instagram Story: “So sad to see that Ton has passed away. I really enjoyed working with him on Truth Be Told. He loved his job very much, valued his craft and being there for everyone else. We had some wonderful scenes together and I will always remember his generosity. I send my best regards to his family ❤️.”
This Is Us co-stars Chris Sullivan and Jon Huertas also paid tribute to Jones.
“I can’t believe he’s gone! It doesn’t seem possible,” Sullivan, 43, wrote on Instagram. “He was such a generous and compassionate heart. I’m so grateful for the time we spent together have. #RIPRCJ.”
“Ron, you were one of the most talented and caring men I have ever had the privilege to work with,” Huertas, 53, wrote in his tribute post.
“So generous, both personally and artistically. Not only will I miss you, but the world will miss your spirit,” he continued. “But the remarkable gift of having you on our stages and screens will live on in our hearts forever. I love you @cephasjaz … you’re in.” for the next performance.
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In 2021, Jones revealed to The New York Times that he was privately battling chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and received a double lung transplant at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in 2020.
In a June 2022 interview with Today, he mentioned a speedy recovery as he prepared for his Tony-nominated performance in Broadway’s Clyde’s.
Jones is survived by his daughter Jasmine Cephus Jones.
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