CJ Jones
Jones in 2014
Born1949 or 1950 (age 73–74)
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
EducationMissouri School for the Deaf
OccupationActor

CJ Jones (born 1949/1950)[1] is an American actor residing in Los Angeles. He is one of the subjects of See What I'm Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary (2009).[2][3][4][5] Jones made his feature film debut with Edgar Wright's Baby Driver (2017), in which he portrays Joseph, the deaf foster father of Ansel Elgort's protagonist.[6]

He has developed three one-man shows that have toured the United States, Japan, Sweden, Australia, Ecuador, and Canada. He co-wrote and directed six classic fairy tales for children's television for the series Once Upon a Sign. CJ produced the International Sign Language Theater Festival, which hosted theater artists from all over the world. He has also appeared in various episodes of American TV series.

Jones created a Na'vi sign language for Avatar: The Way of Water, in which he plays a Na'vi.[1]

Personal life

CJ Jones is the son of deaf parents who communicated in American Sign Language. One of seven hearing children born to the couple, he lost his hearing at the age of 7 when he fell ill with spinal meningitis. He attended Missouri School for the Deaf. Active in sports, he was voted class valedictorian. He remains active in deaf awareness causes and charities.

Filmography

Key
† Denotes works that have not yet been released

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2009 See What I'm Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary Himself Documentary
2017 Baby Driver Joe
2019 Door in the Woods Uriah
2022 True Value Himself Documentary
2022 Avatar: The Way of Water Metkayina Interpreter uncredited

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1991 A Different World CJ Episode: "A Word in Edgewise"
2003 Cold Case Junkie Episode: "The Runner"
2003 Frasier Customer #1 Episode: "I'm Listening"
2007 Lincoln Heights Luther Episode: "House Arrest"
2018 Castle Rock Odin Branch 3 episodes
2019 This Close Craig 2 episodes
2021 Everything's Gonna Be Okay Eric 2 episodes
2023 The Last of Us — Episode: "Endure and Survive" (ASL consultant)

References

  1. ^ a b "Avatar hire renowned deaf actor CJ Jones to create sign language". Stuff. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  2. ^ See What I'm Saying official website Archived 2011-08-27 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ See What I'm Saying trailer on Captionfish website
  4. ^ Jeanette Catsoulis (April 9, 2010). "'Deaf, and Trying to Make It in Showbiz". The New York Times. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  5. ^ See What I'm Saying: The Deaf Entertainers Documentary -- movie trailer
  6. ^ Polowy, Kevin. "'Baby Driver' Breakout: How Scene-Stealing Deaf Actor CJ Jones Wowed Edgar Wright". Yahoo.com. Retrieved 1 August 2017.

External links

Authority control databases
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