Beetlejuice sequel dominates the box office while dark past resurfaces
The police couldn't believe what they found in the star's apartment. In 2002, Jeffrey Jones, the actor from "Beetlejuice," was accused not only of possessing child pornography but of something even more shocking. The discovery ultimately ruined the actor.
10:03 AM EDT, September 9, 2024
The sequel to the cult 1988 film "Beetlejuice" is the new box office hit. Everyone was eagerly waiting for the premiere of "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" by Tim Burton, and the initial financial results were impressive. Before the gala screening in Venice, it was forecasted that "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" would earn around $60 million in the United States during its opening weekend. Just a week later, the film raked in $110 million. "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" thus became the second film in September history to gross over $100 million in American theaters within the first three days of release.
A return after years without Jeffrey Jones
"Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" features Jenna Ortega, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Willem Dafoe, and Catherine O'Hara. Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis, who played the Maitlands in the first film, are missing. Jeffrey Jones, who once portrayed Charles Deetz, is also absent. The actor has practically become a pariah in the film industry. Few are willing to hire him, though there are exceptions.
Jones's career dates back to the '80s. He appeared in "Howard the Duck" and "Without a Trace," and he gained popularity after playing in "Beetlejuice" in 1988. And that was just the beginning. Jones is also known for roles in "The Hunt for Red October" and "Vacation." He appeared in "Ed Wood," "The Devil's Advocate," and "Sleepy Hollow." His resume includes both dramas and family films.
In 2002, a dark truth about the actor came to light. Jones was arrested for possessing child pornography and persuading a 14-year-old boy to create pornographic materials. Jones paid the boy to pose. Reports stated that police were stunned by what they found at the star's home. The photos showed the boy dressed in costumes like a cowboy hat or Native American attire or posing with stuffed animals.
Jones only admitted to photographing the boy. Ultimately, the actor did not go to prison. He was sentenced to five years of probation, required psychological sessions, and was listed in the sex offender registry. In 2004, when he failed to update his information in the offender registry, he was sentenced to 250 hours of community service.
In 2019, he appeared in "Deadwood: The Movie." The press worldwide detailed his crimes, and since then, it's no surprise that no one wants to hire him.
