Sean Connery's Son Jason Looks Just Like His Late Famous Father

Mar 12, 2021

James Bond actor and Scottish celebrity Sean Connery passed away on Oct. 31, 2020. He was mourned worldwide by the famous and fans alike. His tenure as Bond, the suave British superagent, was longer than any other actor's, lasting from 1962's "Dr. No" to 1983's "Never Say Never Again."

This man of mystery was sometimes quiet about certain personal matters, which is why you may never have heard of his son, Jason Connery. And you may not know that Jason is also an actor of some repute. Jason was born just one year after his father started his "James Bond" career.

Jason was born to Sean and his then-wife, Diane Cilento, about a year after they were married. Unfortunately, the union wouldn't last, and the couple divorced in 1973, just 11 years after it began.

Their relationship was notoriously fraught. According to an interview with Cilento from 2000, this was partly because Sean wanted her to stay at home to take care of household tasks and look after Jason instead of pursuing her career.

“...I don't think sitting by the hearth, being ... playing hubby and wifey was on the cards, in either of our minds, if you see what I mean,” Cilento explained. “It just wasn't there. And the excitement of life wasn't that sort of cozy acceptable ... It just wasn't in there … I just wanted to do my own thing again.”

Cilento further explained that one of the events that triggered her to move out and leave Sean was when someone attacked Jason when he was a young boy.

“...my little son by this time was about six or something, had gone out and gone to Wimbledon Common and I don't know exactly what happened, but he came back and he had been sort of attacked … So I just felt desperately vulnerable again," Cilento said. So I moved again and I moved to another house, and when Sean came back I wasn't there. I just left. So I just ... because he didn't really take any notice of what was going on with us. And what was going on was that Jason was in a problem, in that he had been severely shocked and he needed to be reassured by the male figure, and I don't think, I don't think Sean was occupied with thinking about that.”

While it seems like Jason’s home life was relatively tumultuous — at least according to his late mother’s accounts — he was quite successful from an early age.

It initially wasn't clear whether Jason would follow in his famous father's footsteps. As a young child, he was accepted to an exclusive boarding school after winning a half scholarship for his swimming, according to IMDb. While there, he shattered the under-16 freestyle swimming record for southern England. He held onto that record for quite some time.

Jason later attended the Gordonstoun School for boys in his native Scotland. It was there that the young man developed his love of theater and film. He even had some limited stints as a director. So, it wasn't just acting that drew him to the art form.

Jason would then go on to be a professional in the business following his acceptance to the Perth Repertory Theatre in Scotland. He served as a minor player and assistant stage manager in his first six months with the company. But in 1985, he would get his break, playing Robin Hood in the British television series "Robin of Sherwood." Interestingly, father Sean had starred as the noble bandit in 1976's "Robin and Marian."

From there, Jason’s career started to take off. He would act primarily in television shows and miniseries through the early 2000s. Such roles included small, featured parts in series like "The Famous Five" (1997), the animated "Liberty's Kids" (2002) and "Smallville" (2001-2003).

It turns out that Jason’s late mother and father weren’t exactly enthusiastic about the young man’s career choice. In a 2017 interview with the Los Angeles Times before his father’s death, Jason admitted that he was afraid to tell his parents about his acting aspirations despite the fact that both had careers in showbusiness.

“I was frightened to tell them,” Jason said. “I did some acting at school. There was a thing at Gordonstoun where I came up with something called the Inter-House where the girls’ house joined the boys’ house and put plays on ... Then I got into the Bristol big drama school (Bristol Old Vic Theatre School) and then of course I had to tell them.

“My dad basically said, ‘Look, the thing about acting is, it's a tough profession. If you really don’t want to do it, you’ll find out soon.’ I know what that means because it’s tough going into a call room and sort of exposing yourself, so to speak, the way you do when you are auditioning and stuff.”

However, Jason continued regardless of what his parents said. He would later play a major role in several animated series, including "Gadget and the Gadgetinis" (2001-2009), the leading role in the miniseries "The Other Side of Paradise" (1992) and the aforementioned "The Famous Five." It seems he was as valued for his voice, as that was one of the famous features so reminiscent of his father.

While Jason continues to act to this day, he has also had a successful career as a director. He started behind the camera with the 2009 horror film "The Devil's Tomb." He has directed four other feature films: "Pandemic" (2009), "51" (2011), the boxing film "The Philly Kid" (2012) and the historical drama "Tommy's Honour" (2016).

Based on Kevin Cook’s biography “Tommy's Honor: The Story of Old Tom Morris and Young Tom Morris, Golf's Founding Father and Son,” the film revolves around the true story of Scottish golf champions Old Tom Morris and his son Young Tom Morris. Not unlike how both Sean and Jason Connery were pioneers of the film industry, this Scottish father-son duo was at the top of their game as professional golfers in the late 19th century. The film, which premiered at Edinburgh Film Festival, received mixed reviews in the press, though some critics praised Peter Mullan and Jack Lowden’s performance as the father-son golfing duo.

“Connery, himself the son of a famous father, doesn’t avoid all the traps of period biopics. The script (based on the book by Kevin Cook) plays safe and Connery’s shot selection is all too predictable, too,” critic Jason Best writes of the film. “But Mullan and Lowden supply a moving depth of emotion, while the rowdy nature of early golf matches and the bristling class conflict off the course both prove something of an eye-opener.”

In an interview with The Los Angeles Times in 2017 before Sean’s death, Jason opened up about the film while also speaking to his father’s love of golf.

“He’s still plugging away,” Jason said at the time. “He’s 86. He lived in Spain and we played a lot there. I would come with my stepbrother and stepmother and played often with them because Dad would be playing in the celebrity event. We just have great memories of the wonderful times — obviously, I’m able to romanticize because I remember it being sunny, and that’s certainly not the case for the most part. But we did have lovely times.”

Jason went on to add that he spoke with his father, an avid golfer, about the script before production of the film began.

“He saw the script. We talked about it. He’s very knowledgeable about standards (of the game),” Jason explained. “He did come and see the film at the Bahamian (Island House Film Festival). It was lovely he was there and he was very complimentary to the movie. He does love the game, and also he’s obviously very Scottish.”

According to National Club Golfer, Sean’s love for golfing came out of the production of “Goldfinger.” To prepare for a scene in the film wherein Bond would compete against the film’s titular villain, Sean had to take lessons at a golf course near the studio. And from then on, the actor was hooked to the sport.

Beyond their love of golf and their professional relationship, there are still more parallels between Jason and his father's life, however. Neither had much luck with their first marriages. In 1996, Jason wedded actress Mia Sara, who had starred as Sloane Peterson in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (1986). In 1997, they had a son whom they named Dashiell Quinn Connery. That same year, the only movie they would appear together in, "Bullet to Beijing," was released. Unfortunately, the union was not to last, and the couple divorced in 2002.

Jason reportedly attributes his thick skin and Hollywood survival skills to his parents' example. As everyone knows, show business can be unpredictable and cruel to the unprepared. Jason has been able to adapt over the years, as his long resume proves. He can find his niche in one moment and then reinvent himself in the next.

Sean and Jason Connery never had much to say about their father-son relationship or parallel acting careers. This led to many rumors that their relationship was strained. There is also evidence that, when the elder Connery divorced Jason’s mother, Cilento, in 1973, he cut Jason out of his will. Jason refutes these claims.

"I am truly sick of reading about my father and our relationship and of his being portrayed as some sort of monster or tyrant who rules my life by cutting me off from his wealth,'" he said in a statement to The Herald of Scotland. "This all could not be further from the truth."

He went on to say, "(My father) earned this money through, nothing but his own tireless hard work, and what he does with it and who he gives it to is completely up to him. He and I have never had a conversation where he said 'you will never receive a penny' or anything to that effect. That is simply a lie."

Both hardworking actors seem cut from the same cloth. It seems that Jason loved his father, though he has seldom said so publicly. One exception was in the July 28, 2008, edition of The New York Daily News, when he said, "I honor, respect and love my father and for good reason. And not only do I resent these lies ... but I refuse to allow them to be perpetuated any longer."

As proof of this affection, Jason’s current partner, Fiona Ufton, posted a touching picture of herself, Sean and Jason together on the Bond actor's 89th birthday. The elder Connery, surrounded by family, is seen smiling. Ufton captions the Twitter post with the traditional Irish message “brethla shona dhuit” or happy birthday.

Father and son also appeared on the red carpet together periodically over the years. They supported each other, saw each other's movies and television shows and were friends as much as they were father and son. Upon his father's death, Jason told the BBC and the Irish Post, "(It is) 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."

Following his death, fans, actors, directors and other film industry professionals took to the internet to remember Sean and his incredible legacy.

"Sir Sean Connery will be remembered as Bond and so much more," said Daniel Craig, the English actor who has played the character since 2006’s “Casino Royale.”

"He defined an era and a style. The wit and charm he portrayed on screen could be measured in megawatts; he helped create the modern blockbuster.

"He will continue to influence actors and film-makers alike for years to come,” he continued. “My thoughts are with his family and loved ones."

Sean was surrounded by his family, including Jason, when he passed away in his sleep in the early morning hours of Oct. 31, 2020. His legacy will live on through his films, memories of his larger-than-life personality and his son, Jason, who is clearly following in his father's footsteps while at the same time forging his own path.

What do you think about Jason’s life? Do you have a similar relationship with your father? Let us know — and be sure to pass this on to friends, family members and fellow Connery fans.