All About Sean Connery’s Son Jason Connery

Most of the world knew Sean Connery as James Bond, but there was one person who knew him simply as “Dad.”

The iconic actor – whose career spanned more than six decades – had one child with his first wife Diane Cilento, a son born in 1963 named Jason Joseph Connery. Although Sean would eventually split from Jason’s mother, the actor became close to his son.

“My father is wonderful at being a father. I’m not afraid of him. However, I want him to be proud of me,” Jason said Los Angeles Times in 1990.

Father and son continued their strong bond as the elder actor aged, with the last pictures of Sean shared on social media being a photo of him with Jason as he celebrated his 89th birthday in August 2019. Jason was also by his father’s side when died at the age of 90 in October 2020.

“We are all working to make sense of this huge event because it has only happened so recently, even though my dad has been ill for some time,” Jason told the BBC at the time of his father’s death. “A sad day for all who knew and loved my dad and a sad loss for all the people around the world who enjoyed the wonderful gift he had as an actor.”

Here’s everything you need to know about Sean Connery’s son, Jason Connery.

He was born in London

Jason Connery attends a photo call during the 72nd Edinburgh International Film Festival on June 21, 2018 in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Roberto Ricciuti/Getty

Sean began dating Australian actress Diane Cilento in 1957, after the two played lovers in a television version of Eugene O’Neill Anna Christie, according to The New York Times. They were married in November 1962, and six weeks later their son Jason Joseph was born on January 11, 1963 in London.

Sean and Diane would later divorce in 1973, and Jason would grow up primarily with his mother in London and Scotland. 2017 he said Los Angeles Times that he attended a Scottish boarding school, Gordonstoun School.

“When I was growing up, no one explained things to me,” Jason said of his parents’ divorce in The Sunday Times 2004. “I didn’t understand what was going on… Today there is more openness, because there is an understanding that it has an impact on the child. Still, I can understand what they were going through.”

He followed his father’s footsteps into acting

Although both of his parents were actors, Jason initially had no desire to enter the industry.

“I wanted to be a farmer,” he said Los Angeles Times, recalling spending time as a child on his mother’s farm in southern England. But after getting a taste of acting while at Gordonstoun, Jason changed his mind and was accepted into the Bristol Old Vic Theater School (whose famous alumni include Daniel Day-Lewis, Olivia Colman and Gene Wilder).

“My dad actually said, ‘The thing about acting is that it’s a tough profession. If you really don’t want it, you’ll find out soon,’ Jason recalled telling his father he wanted to be an actor.

He added: “I was very aware of who dad was and everyone else. I felt like I had to defend myself or say, ‘I’m not just his son. I can act. I’m not just riding on his coattails.’ ”

Jason’s big break came in 1986 when he appeared as Robin Hood in the British television series of the same name. He has appeared in films including Requiem, Shanghai Noon and Macbethas well as TV series like Smallville, Liberty’s Kids and Shoebox Zoo.

He played Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, in a TV movie

Jason Connery in ‘The Secret Life of Ian Fleming’.

Courtesy of Everett

The character of James Bond was probably Sean’s most famous role, and the actor played Agent 007 in seven films over three decades. In an ironic twist, Jason also appeared in a Bond film… of sorts. He played the role of Ian Fleming—the novelist who created Bond—in the 1990 cable movie. The Secret Life of Ian Fleming.

Now I can say to journalists: ‘Compare me!’ Jason said Los Angeles Times about the role, which inevitably drew comparisons with his father. “I understand that I will always be compared to my father. There are constant insinuations. Do I have to make excuses all my life?”

Despite the potential criticism, Sean approved for his son to take on the role. “I called my dad and said, ‘There’s a really good script about Ian Fleming. What do you think of me playing him?’ He didn’t mind,” Jason said.

He shares his father’s passion for golf

Jason Connery and Sean Connery in 1988.

Snap/Shutterstock

Sean was known for his passion for golf, even moving to Marbella, Spain in the mid-1970s, according to times, primarily because of its 24 golf courses. The game became one of the ways Jason became closer to his famous father.

“He carved a 7-iron for me when I was a boy,” Jason said Page six about playing golf with his father. “I graduated to being his caddy, which was great when he was playing well and not so great when he wasn’t.”

As an adult, Jason continued to play with his father, even though the elder Connery was pushing 90 years. Golf became a way for the pair to bond between father and son – and a bit of friendly competition.

“He loves his golf, as everyone knows,” Jason said The Sunday Times 2004 “When we talk it’s usually about … he managed to correct my golf grip the other week. He showed me that I was starting to hold the club wrong, and when he gave me this new grip, my game really improved. We had a great round – and yes, I beat him, although I did give him a few punches.”

He has a son with his first wife

Jason Connery attends the New York screening of “Tommy’s Honour” on April 12, 2017 in New York City.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty

Jason married Mia Sara (best known for her role as Sloane in Ferris Bueller’s day off) in 1996 after the two appeared in the 1995 made-for-TV movie Bullet for Beijing together. They then had a son named Dashiell Quinn Connery – nicknamed Dash – in 1997, but divorced in 2002.

“My divorce was a very difficult thing for me, a shock,” Jason told The Sunday Times. “Suddenly I saw all the parallels between my dad, my mom and me, because they were both actors – like my ex and I. And they had a son, me – like we have Dash.”

He added, “I thought, ‘F—, I did exactly what they did.’ Even though I sat there for years thinking that’s exactly what I’m not going to do.”

Despite the divorce, Jason remained on good terms with his ex-wife and continued to live in Los Angeles at the time to be close to Dash.

“I want to be a constant in my son’s life because my dad was not a constant in mine. I like being involved,” he said.

He is a successful director

Jason Connery at the screening of “Tommy’s Honour” at Cineplex Oakville on April 17, 2017.

GP Images/WireImage

While most of his father’s career was spent in front of the camera, Jason made the transition to directing in 2009 with the indie thriller Pandemic. He often discussed “movie stuff” with his father, according to his interview with The Sunday Timesand hoped that one day I would make a film with him.

“I started directing and maybe one day I’ll direct him in something – who knows,” Jason told the British newspaper.

The younger Connery went on to direct films including The Devil’s Tomb, 51 and The Philly Kid — but his most successful directorial effort came with the 2016 drama Tommy’s honor, which told the story of a father and son, pioneers of Scottish golf in the 1860s. The film won the 2016 Scottish BAFTA Award for Best Feature Film.

“What I’m trying to do is have a completely set idea of ​​how I want everything to be,” he said Los Angeles Times 2017 about his directorial style. “Usually I have a plan, and then sometimes the plan goes away, if something comes up, it seems to be better.”

He married Fiona Ufton in 2021

Fiona Ufton and Jason Connery at the world premiere of ‘England Is Mine’ during the 71st Edinburgh International Film Festival on July 2, 2017.

Roberto Ricciuti/Getty

Jason began dating Irish singer Fiona Ufton in 2016, and the two made their red carpet debut at the premiere of his film Tommy’s honor at the 2016 Edinburgh International Film Festival. On the fifth anniversary of their first date, in late February 2021, Jason proposed to Ufton, according to News from Edinburgh — who pointed out that the singer announced the news on Instagram with a photo of a ring with diamonds and rubies.

“The love of my life got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I said yes, a thousand times yes!!” Ufton wrote in the caption. “And now our next great adventure together begins. WE’RE GETTING MARRIED… in just over THREE WEEKS.”

On April 11, 2021, the couple — who live in Scotland — married at a town hall in Roxburghshire, a small county in southern Scotland, according to News from Edinburghwho added that Ufton shared several pictures from the intimate ceremony on her X (formerly Twitter) account and called it “the day the stars aligned.”

He runs a Scottish television and film studio

Sean Connery, Micheline Connery, Jason Connery and Mira Sara at the world premiere of “Playing By Heart” on December 10, 1998.

Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection/Getty

In March 2020, Jason was tapped to run First Stage Studios alongside Oscar-nominated producer Bob Last. The television and film studio is based in Edinburgh, Scotland, with the hope of boosting the country’s screen sector and economy.

“There’s no doubt that Scotland needs a film studio – I couldn’t be more excited to be a part of making it happen,” Jason told the British newspaper Time about the project.

The studio brings a bit of Hollywood to his father’s birthplace. The elder Connery always spoke fondly of Scotland, despite living in New York, the Bahamas and Spain during his adult life. “Scotland is my home and I’ve never left it emotionally,” Sean famously said GQ in 2008.

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Source: HIS Education