Jasmine Cephas Jones (; 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 in London, England but grew up in Midwood, Brooklyn. She is the daughter of actor Ron Cephas Jones (1957–2023), who was of African American heritage, and British-born jazz singer Kim Lesley, who is white.
She attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, and Berklee College of Music, and graduated from Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in 2011.
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, 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. In 2016, she won a Grammy Award for her work as one of the principal soloists on the Hamilton cast album. 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".
Jones also appears in the 2015 film Mistress America, 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.
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. 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. Blindspotting premiered on 13 June 2021 and was renewed for a second season by Starz on 14 October 2021.
On 13 July 2021, Jones and her father Ron Cephas Jones announced the 2021 Primetime Emmy nominees on behalf of the Television Academy. On October 25, 2021, it was announced that Jones had signed with CAA (Creative Artists Agency) Representation. Jones plays the role of Swan on the 2024 concept album by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Eisa Davis, Warriors.
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. It was reported that the couple split in November 2021.
Acting credits
Film YearTitleRoleNotes2013TitusJessica2014Fairfield Lindsey2015Mistress AmericaNicolette2018BlindspottingAshleyMonsters and MenMarisol OrtegaDog DaysLola2019Marriage StoryTheater Actor2020The PhotographRachel MillerHamiltonPeggy Schuyler / Maria ReynoldsHonest ThiefBeth Hall2022EraxAuntie OpalShort2023OriginElizabeth Davis
Television YearTitleRoleNotes2013Blue BloodsShania CostaEpisode: "Justice Served"2014UnforgettableEllenEpisode: "East of Islip"2016Odd Mom OutTKTS SellerEpisode: "Hamming It Up"2017GirlsPagetEpisodes: "Full Disclosure", "The Bounce"2018Midnight, TexasAddie WiggetEpisodes: “Patience is a Virtue”, “Yasss, Queen”2019Mrs. FletcherChloe5 episodes 2020#FreeRayshawnTyisha15 episodes2021–2023BlindspottingAshley Rose16 episodes; also producer2026LanternsYoung Bernadette StewartRecurring role
Theatre YearProductionRoleType2014The Loneliness of the Long Distance RunnerKenishaOff-Broadway2015HamiltonPeggy Schuyler / Maria Reynolds2015–2016Broadway2019CyranoRoxanneOff-Broadway
Music videos YearTitleArtist2019"Mind Over Matter"Anthony Ramos"Moonlight"Jasmine Cephas Jones2020"Little Bird"2024"Brighter" ft.Kevin GarettJasmine Cephas Jones, Kevin Garett"Baby I Cant Give You Up"Jasmine Cephas Jones
Discography
Albums Title YearPhoenix 2024
Extended plays Title YearBlue Bird 2020
Singles Title Year Album/EP "Moonlight" 2019 Blue Bird "Wild Thing" 2020 "Little Bird" "Wild Thing Remix ft. Daveed Diggs"2021 "Brighter" ft. Kevin Garett2024PhoenixBaby 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"2020Devon GilfillianWhat'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)2021Ashley RoseBlindspotting (Music from the STARZ Original Series, Season 2)2023Ashley RoseWarriors2024Swan
Awards and nominations Year Award Date of ceremony Category Work Result 2016 Broadway.com Audience Awards May 10, 2016 Favorite Featured Actress in a MusicalHamilton Favorite Female Breakthrough Performance Grammy Awards February 15, 2016 Best Musical Theater Album 2019 Imagen AwardsAugust 10, 2019Best Actress – Feature FilmMonsters and Men 2020 Antonyo Awards June 19, 2020 Best Featured Actor in a Musical Off-Broadway Cyrano Primetime Emmy Awards September 17, 2020 Outstanding Actress in a Short Form Comedy or Drama Series #FreeRayshawn 2021 NAACP Image AwardsMarch 27, 2021Outstanding Performance in a Short-Form Series Women's Image AwardsOctober 14, 2021Outstanding Actress in a Comedy SeriesBlindspotting Film Independent Spirit AwardsMarch 6, 2022Best Female Performance in a New Scripted Series 2022NAMIC Vision AwardsApril 27, 2022Best Performance – Comedy Hollywood Critics Association TV AwardsAugust 14, 2022Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy 2024Hollywood Critics Association TV AwardsJanuary 8, 2024Best Actress in a Broadcast Network or Cable Series, Comedy
References
External links