Jasmine Cephas Jones
Jasmine Cephas Jones | |
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Jones in 2021 | |
| Born | 21 July 1989 London, England |
| Education | |
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| Years active | 2013–present |
| Parents |
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Jasmine Cephas Jones (/ˈsiːfəs/; born 21 July 1989) is an English actress and singer. The daughter of actor Ron Cephas Jones, she studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre. She has received a Grammy Award and Emmy Award.
She gained her breakthrough when she made her Broadway debut originating the dual roles of Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds in the Lin-Manuel Miranda stage musical Hamilton (2015–2016). Her work on Hamilton's accompanying cast album earned her a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Her performance was captured in the Disney+ live stage recording released in 2020.
On film, she acted in the films Mistress America (2015), Monsters and Men (2018), The Photograph (2020) and Origin (2023). She played a caring mother in the drama film Blindspotting (2018) and its spin-off sequel series of the same name from 2021 to 2023 where she also served as a producer. She also took roles in Girls (2017), Mrs. Fletcher (2019), and FreeRayshawn (2020), the later of which earned her the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series.
Early life and education
Jasmine Cephas Jones was born on 21 July 1989[1][2] in London, England[3] but grew up in Midwood, Brooklyn.[1] She is the daughter of actor Ron Cephas Jones (1957–2023),[4] who was of African American heritage, and British-born jazz singer Kim Lesley, who is white.[3]
She attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, and Berklee College of Music,[5] and graduated from Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in 2011.[6][3]
Career
Jones has made small appearances in multiple independent films, including Titus (2013) and Fairfield (2014). She has also appeared in episodes of Blue Bloods, Unforgettable,[7] and Mrs. Fletcher.
In 2015, she originated the roles of Maria Reynolds and Peggy Schuyler in the original Off-Broadway production of Hamilton. When the show moved to Broadway, she continued in those roles, and remained with that production until December 8, 2016.[8] In 2016, she won a Grammy Award for her work as one of the principal soloists on the Hamilton cast album.[9] She has solos in 'Schuyler Sisters' and 'Say No To This'. At Super Bowl LI, she, along with Hamilton castmates Renée Elise Goldsberry and Phillipa Soo, sang "America the Beautiful".[10]
Jones also appears in the 2015 film Mistress America,[11] the 2018 film Dog Days, and the critically acclaimed 2018 film Blindspotting. In 2020, she appeared as a secondary character in the short series #Freerayshawn, winning an Emmy for her performance as Tyisha. Jones' 2020 Emmy win made history both alongside her father Ron Cephas Jones for being the first father-daughter duo to win Emmy Awards in the same year, and as the first-ever Black woman to win in the Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series category.[12]
Following the positive response to the Blindspotting film, cable and streaming network Starz along with Lionsgate Television, Snoot Entertainment, and Dreams With Friends Inc., ordered a spin-off series following the events of the film.[13] The series had Jones set to lead the cast, reviving her role as Ashley for the series as it surrounds her character. The series also had Jones set to serve as producer for the season, awarding her a first producing credit.[14] Blindspotting premiered on 13 June 2021 and was renewed for a second season by Starz on 14 October 2021.[15]
On 13 July 2021, Jones and her father Ron Cephas Jones announced the 2021 Primetime Emmy nominees on behalf of the Television Academy.[16] On October 25, 2021, it was announced that Jones had signed with CAA (Creative Artists Agency) Representation.[17] Jones plays the role of Swan on the 2024 concept album by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis, Warriors.[18]
Personal life
On 24 December 2018, Cephas Jones became engaged to fellow Hamilton original Broadway cast member Anthony Ramos, whom she met and began dating in 2014 during rehearsals for the original, Off-Broadway, production of Hamilton at The Public Theatre.[19] It was reported that the couple split in November 2021.[20]
Acting credits
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Titus | Jessica | |
| 2014 | Fairfield | Lindsey | |
| 2015 | Mistress America | Nicolette | |
| 2018 | Blindspotting | Ashley | |
| Monsters and Men | Marisol Ortega | ||
| Dog Days | Lola | ||
| 2019 | Marriage Story | Theater Actor | |
| 2020 | The Photograph | Rachel Miller | |
| Hamilton | Peggy Schuyler / Maria Reynolds | ||
| Honest Thief | Beth Hall | ||
| 2022 | Erax | Auntie Opal | Short |
| 2023 | Origin | Elizabeth Davis |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Blue Bloods | Shania Costa | Episode: "Justice Served" |
| 2014 | Unforgettable | Ellen | Episode: "East of Islip" |
| 2016 | Odd Mom Out | TKTS Seller | Episode: "Hamming It Up" |
| 2017 | Girls | Shopgirl | Episodes: "Full Disclosure", "The Bounce" |
| 2018 | Midnight, Texas | Addie Wigget | Episodes: “Patience is a Virtue”, “Yasss, Queen” |
| 2019 | Mrs. Fletcher | Chloe | 5 episodes |
| 2020 | #FreeRayshawn | Tyisha | 15 episodes |
| 2021–2023 | Blindspotting | Ashley Rose | 16 episodes; also producer |
| 2026 | Lanterns | Young Bernadette Stewart | Filming |
Theatre
| Year | Production | Role | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner | Kenisha | Off-Broadway |
| 2015 | Hamilton | Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds | |
| 2015–2016 | Broadway | ||
| 2019 | Cyrano | Roxanne | Off-Broadway |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | "Mind Over Matter" | Anthony Ramos |
| 2019 | "Moonlight" | Jasmine Cephas Jones |
| 2020 | "Little Bird" | Jasmine Cephas Jones |
| 2024 | "Brighter" ft.Kevin Garett | Jasmine Cephas Jones, Kevin Garett |
| 2024 | "Baby I Cant Give You Up" | Jasmine Cephas Jones |
Discography
Albums
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| Phoenix | 2024 |
Extended plays
| Title | Year |
|---|---|
| Blue Bird | 2020 |
Singles
| Title | Year | Album/EP |
|---|---|---|
| "Moonlight" | 2019 | Blue Bird |
| "Wild Thing" | 2020 | |
| "Little Bird" | ||
| "Wild Thing Remix ft. Daveed Diggs" | 2021 | Non-album single |
| "Brighter" ft. Kevin Garett | 2024 | Phoenix |
| Baby I Can't Give You Up |
Guest appearances
| Title | Year | Other artist(s) | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Freedom" | 2018 | Anthony Ramos, Broken Luxury | The Freedom EP |
| "What's Going On" | 2020 | Devon Gilfillian | What's Going On |
Soundtrack and cast album appearances
| Album | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording) | 2015 | Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds |
| Blindspotting (Music from the STARZ Original Series, Season 1) | 2021 | Ashley Rose |
| Blindspotting (Music from the STARZ Original Series, Season 2) | 2023 | Ashley Rose |
| Warriors | 2024 | Swan |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Work | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Broadway.com Audience Awards | May 10, 2016 | Favorite Featured Actress in a Musical | Hamilton | Nominated | [21] |
| Favorite Female Breakthrough Performance | Nominated | |||||
| Grammy Awards | February 15, 2016 | Best Musical Theater Album | Won | [9] | ||
| 2019 | Imagen Awards | August 10, 2019 | Best Actress – Feature Film | Monsters and Men | Nominated | [22] |
| 2020 | Antonyo Awards | June 19, 2020 | Best Featured Actor in a Musical Off-Broadway | Cyrano | Won | [23] |
| Primetime Emmy Awards | September 17, 2020 | Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series | #FreeRayshawn | Won | [24] | |
| 2021 | NAACP Image Awards | March 27, 2021 | Outstanding Performance in a Short-Form Series | Nominated | [25] | |
| Women's Image Awards | October 14, 2021 | Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series | Blindspotting | Nominated | [26] | |
| Film Independent Spirit Awards | March 6, 2022 | Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series | Nominated | [27] | ||
| 2022 | NAMIC Vision Awards | April 27, 2022 | Best Performance – Comedy | Nominated | [28] | |
| Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | August 14, 2022 | Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy | Nominated | [29] | ||
| 2024 | Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards | January 8, 2024 | Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy | Nominated | [30] |
References
- ^ a b Henderson, Kathy (3 September 2015). "Jasmine Cephas Jones on Learning from Philip Seymour Hoffman & Strutting Her Stuff in Hamilton". Broadway Buzz. Broadway.com. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017.
- ^ Jasmine Cephas Jones [@JasCephasJones] (21 July 2015). "Sang some Stevie wonder with my momma on my Birthday for the #ham4ham lotto! #bestbirthdayever @HamiltonMusical" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b c Aftab, Kaleem (11 June 2021). "Jasmine Cephas Jones: 'We don't see female perspective enough'". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
- ^ Morales, Wilson (11 August 2015). "Jasmine Cephas Jones Talks Noah Baumbach's Mistress America & Broadway's Hamilton". Black Film. Archived from the original on 15 January 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ "Hamilton's Helpers". Berklee. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
- ^ "Bravo to Mackenzie Davis and Jasmine Cephas Jones, NP Class of 2011!". Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ "Unforgettable" East of Islip (TV Episode 2014) – IMDb, retrieved 30 September 2021
- ^ Schulman, Michael (6 August 2015). "The Women of Hamilton". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on 21 August 2018.
- ^ a b "58th Annual Grammy Awards". The Recording Academy. 28 November 2017. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
- ^ Lee, Ashley (27 January 2017). "Super Bowl: Hamilton Stars to Perform". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 21 May 2018.
- ^ Brody, Richard (24 August 2015). "Mistress America and the Art of Making a Living as an Artist". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on 21 August 2018.
- ^ "The (Shockingly Short) List of Black Women Who Have Won Primetime Emmy Awards". Essence. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- ^ Porter, Rick (10 September 2020). "'Blindspotting' Series Based on Movie a Go at Starz". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ LeGardye, Quinci (26 July 2021). "Jasmine Cephas Jones Shows Her True Star Power in 'Blindspotting'". Elle. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ Porter, Rick (14 October 2021). "'Blindspotting' Renewed for Season 2 at Starz". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
- ^ "73rd Emmy Nominations Announcement". Television Academy. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ Cordero, Rosy (25 October 2021). "Jasmine Cephas Jones Signs With CAA". Deadline. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
- ^ "Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis on their 'Warriors' musical concept album with Lauryn Hill". AP News. 18 September 2024. Retrieved 27 September 2024.
- ^ Lefkowitz, Andy (4 January 2019). "A Hamilton Love Story: Anthony Ramos & Jasmine Cephas Jones Are Engaged". Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ Fernández, Alexia (30 November 2021). "Anthony Ramos and Jasmine Cephas Jones End Their Engagement After 6 Years Together: Source". people.com. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
- ^ "Vote Now! Hamilton Breaks Record for Most Broadway.com Audience Choice Award Nominations". Broadway.com. 26 April 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2019.
- ^ "Nominations Announced for the 34th Annual Imagen Awards". Imagen Foundation. July 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ Appler, Michael (20 June 2020). "Audra McDonald, LaChanze & Celia Rose Gooding Win at Broadway Black's Inaugural Antonyo Awards". Variety. Retrieved 20 June 2020.
- ^ "Outstanding Actress In A Short Form Comedy Or Drama Series Nominees / Winners 2020". Television Academy. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
- ^ "2021 Nominees". NAACP Image Awards. Archived from the original on 3 February 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
- ^ "The WIN Awards – 23 Winners Nomis". The WIN Awards. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
- ^ "These are the 2022 Film Independent Spirit Awards Nominees". Film Independent. 14 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ "NAMIC Vision Awards » NAMIC » Multi-ethnic Diversity in the Communications Industry". NAMIC. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
- ^ Verhoeven, Beatrice (7 July 2022). "'This Is Us,' 'Succession,' 'Severance' Lead 2022 HCA TV Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
- ^ Feinberg, Scott (7 January 2024). "Astra Film Awards: 'Barbie' Wins Eight Awards, Including Best Picture". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 14 January 2024.