Sterling K. Brown Recalls How Ron Cephas Jones Was Sick While Filming “This Is Us”: 'He Made the Most of His Life'

Cephas Jones died on Aug. 23, 2023, of a "long-standing pulmonary issue"

Sterling K. Brown is remembering the strength of his late This Is Us costar Ron Cephas Jones.

On the debut episode of his That Was Us rewatch podcast with former castmates Mandy Moore and Chris Sullivan, Brown, 48, recalled how Cephas Jones’ desire to be working on a set was palpable, even when he was sick. When the NBC series began filming, Cephas Jones — who died in 2023 at age 66 — was already suffering from respiratory issues with his lungs.

Brown recalled how, despite his health problems, the SAG Award winner maintained his “big smile” and “big laugh.”

“Just joy in every fiber of his being,” the American Fiction star said of “beautiful human” Cephas Jones, who portrayed Brown’s biological father William Hill. Brown, who played Randall Pearson in the series, noted how “easy” it was for his character to forgive William’s abandonment because “Ron is who he is.”

“It could have been somebody else, and I’d be like, ‘I don’t know if I can make this work.’ But I was like, I want to be around this dude, and I just want him to be around these people,” Brown said.

“You can’t play William if you haven’t figured a lot of this stuff out in your own life,” Sullivan, 43, added, referring to William’s stage four stomach cancer diagnosis and Cephas Jones’ chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

In 2020, the two-time Emmy winner had a successful double lung transplant to treat the disease. When he was discharged from the hospital, he remained as spry as ever, according to Brown.

“He got a chance to go to Broadway, he got nominated for a Tony,” the Oscar nominee stated. “He’s not with us anymore, but he made the most out of his life.”

Related: Mandy Moore Says 'This Is Us' Stars Shed 'Tears' Reuniting to Mourn Ron Cephas Jones: 'We Love You'

Cephas Jones died on Aug. 23, 2023, from a “long-standing pulmonary issue,” a representative for the actor confirmed to PEOPLE.

“Throughout the course of his career, his warmth, beauty, generosity, kindness and heart were felt by anyone who had the good fortune of knowing him,” the statement read. “Ron’s inner-beauty and soul was evident to the huge audience from his multi-Emmy award winning performance on This is Us. He is survived by his daughter Jasmine Cephas Jones.”

Related: Ron Cephas Jones' Daughter Jasmine Says It's Been a 'Battle' Accepting His Death: 'You Were a Damn Good Father'

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In a moving tribute to Cephas Jones via Variety, This Is Us creator Dan Fogelman wrote that the late actor was “in the epicenter of all that love” for the show.

“There was never anything more often repeated to me than this: ‘Oh, and that grandfather on the show. He’s just wonderful. What an actor,’” the showrunner said. “What an actor indeed.”

Fogelman, 48, also detailed how “there was no happier person” on set, despite his illness causing movement and breathing to be “laborious.” 

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