Beetlejuice sequel soars but actor's dark past resurfaces

Police officers couldn't believe what they found in the star's apartment. In 2002, Jeffrey Jones, the actor from "Beetlejuice," was accused of possessing pedophilic content. Something else came to light. The actor was disgraced.

The sequel to the cult film from 1988 - "Beetlejuice" - is the new box office hit. Everyone eagerly awaited the premiere of "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" by Tim Burton, and this is evident from the initial financial results. Before the ceremonial screening in Venice, it was forecasted that "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" would earn about $60 (CAD 81) million in the United States during its opening weekend. Less than a week later, the film pulled in $110 (CAD 150) million at the start. "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" thus became the second film in September's history to earn over $100 (CAD 135) million in American cinemas within the first three days of screening.

"Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" features Jenna Ortega, Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Willem Dafoe, and Catherine O'Hara. Missing from the cast are Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis, who played the Maitlands in the first film. Jeffrey Jones, who previously portrayed Charles Deetz, is also absent. The actor has practically become a pariah in the film industry. For years, very few have wanted to hire him, though there have been exceptions.

Jones's career dates back to the '80s. He appeared in "Howard the Duck" and "Without a Trace," gaining popularity after his role in 1988's "Beetlejuice." And that was just the beginning. Jones is also recognizable from "The Hunt for Red October" and "National Lampoon's Vacation." He acted in "Ed Wood," "The Devil's Advocate," and "Sleepy Hollow." His filmography includes both dramas and family films.

In 2002, a dark truth about the actor emerged. Jones was arrested for possessing pedophilic materials and persuading a 14-year-old boy to create them. Jones paid the boy to pose. At that time, the media reported that when police arrived at the star's home, they couldn't believe what they found. In the photos, the boy was dressed, for instance, in a cowboy hat, 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, mandated psychological sessions, and was entered into the sex offender registry. In 2004, when he failed to update his information in the sex offender registry, he was sentenced to 250 hours of community service.

In 2019, he acted in "Deadwood: The Movie." The global press extensively covered his crimes. It’s no wonder that since then, no one has hired him.