– Ron Cephas Jones speaks about his character’s death on ‘This Is Us’
– Co-star Mandy Moore says she felt “emotionally gutted” by the death scene
– Season 6 of ‘This Is Us’ will be the show’s final season
Ron Cephas Jones, who plays the role of William Hill on the popular television series ‘This Is Us’, recently talked about the emotional scene involving his character’s death on the show. The intense scene was featured in the show’s Season 2 episode titled “Memphis,” which had Jones’ co-star Mandy Moore feeling “emotionally gutted.”
In a conversation with Deadline, Jones shared that he was aware of his character’s ill health and impending death from the beginning. He stated, “From the beginning, I always knew [William] had cancer and was going to pass away.” The actor, however, expressed his satisfaction with the way his character had evolved over time before meeting his end in “Memphis.”
Jones mentioned that he was prepared to confront William’s death in the storyline, having worked on his character’s emotional depth. He said, “I look at each script like a blank canvas. I take what’s on the page, I fill in wherever it’s needed.” Jones further shared that his collaboration with Mandy Moore, who plays his on-screen daughter, enhanced the portrayal of their father-daughter relationship, which helped in strengthening the emotional impact of the death scene.
Mandy Moore admitted to being unprepared for her initial reaction to the episode and shared her thoughts on social media, stating that she was “not okay” and that she had been “emotionally gutted by tonight’s episode.” She also praised Jones’ work, describing him as “a quiet force” and appreciating his contributions to the series.
‘This Is Us’ is currently filming its sixth and final season. It stars Milo Ventimiglia, Mandy Moore, Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz, and Justin Hartley in the lead roles. The show first premiered on NBC in 2016 and has since received significant acclaim for its storytelling and performances.