Where is Jeffrey Jones now? Ferris Bueller’s Day Off actor makes rare public appearance after leaving LA

After a child pornography controversy, Jeffrey Jones, who was formerly well-known for his parts in Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Beetlejuice, has been keeping a low profile for more than 20 years. The 78-year-old actor recently made an appearance at a fan convention, offering a glimpse into his current life and reflecting on his past.

Rare public appearance and life in the desert

In a rare public appearance, Jeffrey Jones joined co-stars Cindy Pickett and Jonathan Schmock for a Ferris Bueller's Day Off discussion on The Hollywood Show on June 6, 2025. Jones acknowledged during the conversation that he had moved out of Los Angeles and was now residing "in the desert."

He told the audience:

“I moved to live in the desert. I didn't want to be in L.A. anymore, but I got my family here, and so little kids get old fast. I'm driving back and forth. I'm getting a place now in L.A. I've given up because I can't keep going back and forth from Burbank to the desert.”

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Jeffrey Jones' legal issues

Jones was arrested in Los Angeles in November 2002 after he hired a 14-year-old child to pose for pornographic photos. He was accused of possessing child pornography and hiring juveniles for sexually explicit work.

Jones pleaded not guilty to the charge of luring a minor in 2003. He was later sentenced to two years of alcohol and drug treatment accompanied by a year of psychiatric therapy. He was also sentenced to five years of probation and was prohibited from owning pornography and had to register as a lifetime sex offender.

Jones told reporters at the time:

"This concludes a really painful chapter in my life. I'm sorry that this incident was allowed to occur. Such an event has never happened before and it will never happen again,"

Even though Jones didn't have any personal contact with the victim, his career and reputation were permanently harmed. Due to his failure to update his sex offender register, he was arrested once more in 2004 and 2010; for the latter, he was sentenced to three years of probation and 250 hours of community service.

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Jeffrey Jones' post-scandal career and disappearance from Hollywood

After being convicted, Jeffrey Jones's on-screen appearances decreased. He played A.W. Merrick once more in HBO's Deadwood: The Movie (2019), which was his final on-screen performance. He occasionally makes brief cameos on programs such as 10.0 Earthquake (2014) and Who's Your Caddy? (2007).

Jones continued to undertake occasional work in regional theater productions in California, including 63 Trillion (2015) and The Cocktail Hour (2018) in Palm Springs. He performed with a script in hand during one performance due to health concerns.

Due to a backlash, a scheduled performance at the Rhode Island Comic Con was canceled in 2023. Despite having withdrawn months prior after reviewing concerns, organizers acknowledged that it was inadvertently left on the agenda.

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More about Jeffrey Jones

Jeffrey Jones was born on September 28, 1946, in Buffalo, New York. He studied medicine before acting. After he quit college, he got a role in a play at the Guthrie Theater. There, he met Director Tyrone Guthrie, who mentored him and helped him financially to attend the theatrical school in London.

After he moved to New York City, his work in the movie Cloud 9 opened up more opportunities for him, which led to roles in movies like Easy Money (1983) and Amadues (1984), which earned him a nomination for a Golden Globe.

Later on, he landed the role of Principal Ed Rooney in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) and Charles Deetz in Beetlejuice (1988), which made him a household name. He was seen in more Tim Burton movies because of his unique character work and humor.

After his conviction and resolution of his legal issues, he later moved to LA. He made appearances after this, but he has mainly been lying low.

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