Jason Connery is the only child of legendary actor Sean Connery, though he does not spend as much time in the public eye. Jason announced his father’s passing back in October, and many fans found themselves catching up on Connery’s personal life. Scroll down for a quick introduction to Jason Connery.
Jason gave a statement to the BBC in October, revealing that his father had passed away at his home in Nassau in the Bahamas. He said that the actor had died peacefully in his sleep, and he “had many of his family who could be in the Bahamas around him. He went on: “We are all working at understanding this huge event as it only happened so recently, even though my dad has been unwell for some time. A sad day for all who knew and loved my dad and a sad loss for all people around the world who enjoyed the wonderful gift he had as an actor.”
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Jason is Connery’s only son and comes from his first marriage to actress Diane Cilento. Connery and Cilento married in 1962, and Jason was born in 1963. Connery and Cilento then separated in 1971, and Cilento later wrote in her autobiography that Connery as mentally and physically abusive to her. Connery seemed to confirm this in an interview with Barbara Walters at the time, saying that it was “no big deal” for a man to hit his wife.
Jason was raised in London with his mother, though he later studied at the Gordonstoun School in his father’s native Scotland for a time. As an adult, he followed his parents into the entertainment industry, though he began in the theatre. He found his way on-screen through B-movies and TV roles, including a 1985 Doctor Who serial called Vengeance on Varos.
In 1995, Jason starred in a made-for-TV movie called Bullet to Beijing, where he met American actress Mia Sara. The couple married the following year, and in 1997 they had a son named Dashiell Quinn Connery. Jason and Sara then divorced in 2002.
Jason discussed his divorce and, tangentially, his relationship with his father in a 2004 interview with The Times called “Life in His Shadow.” He said: “My divorce was a really difficult thing for me, a shock. I suddenly saw all the parallels between my dad, my mum and me, because they were both actors — like my ex and I.”
Today, Jason continues to work in film, TV and theater, not only as an actor but a director as well. He has two projects in post-production at the time of this writing — the movie Byrd and the Bees as a director and the rom-com Of Corset’s Mine as a director. For many fans, the 57-year-old carries the legacy of one of Hollywood’s most influential figures for the next generation.
