Tommy Lee Jones made an ultra-rare appearance on Wednesday at the premiere of his latest project, The Lowdown, in what was his first public outing since the death of his daughter, Victoria Jones.
The 80-year-old went for a casual look on the red carpet, sporting blue jeans, a blue button-up shirt and a black blazer with black sneakers. He attended the season two premiere in Austin, Texas, ahead of his guest role in the series, starring Ethan Hawke and Keith David.
© Getty ImagesTommy will play the "estranged grifter father" of Ethan's Lee Raybon in the series, per the synopsis, marking his first onscreen appearance since 2023's The Burial.
The legendary actor's last public appearance was at the premiere of Finestkind in December 2023, and he has dealt with family hardship in the years since.
Tommy's heartbreak
© FilmMagicTommy's 34-year-old daughter, Victoria, passed away on January 1, 2026, due to the "toxic effects of cocaine", per the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in San Francisco.
The star welcomed Victoria in 1991 with his former wife, Kimberlea Cloughley, nine years after their son Austin was born. "We appreciate all of the kind words, thoughts, and prayers. Please respect our privacy during this difficult time," he said in a statement shortly after her death.
Victoria was arrested twice in 2025, and previously Tommy petitioned a court for temporary conservatorship over her in 2023, when she was living in a psychiatric facility. He filed to end the conservatorship that same year.
The Lowdown
Tommy's latest role will see him star as Lee Raybon Sr. in The Lowdown, which follows Ethan Hawke's citizen journalist character dedicated to exposing corruption in his city. "We're just kind of going about who would be a great formidable figure in Lee Raybon's life, and Tommy Lee popped up in our mind," Ethan told TV Insider of why they chose him for the role. "Then we couldn't get him out, and he was a fan of The Lowdown."
© WireImage"I have been a huge fan of his my whole life," he added. "From Coal Miner's Daughter through Lonesome Dove, I'm the perfect age for him. The Fugitive, No Country for Old Men, he's one of the all-time greats. And it was a real privilege to work with him, to be honest with you."
"I think when people see the full arc of this story, it's truly awesome. I felt privileged to be sitting shotgun in a lot of these scenes with him," Ethan concluded.
Stepping into the spotlight
© Getty ImagesTommy is making a steady return to the screen with a handful of roles lined up, including that of a retired Texas ranger in the upcoming film Outside Man. He will star opposite Ice Cube in the neo-Western thriller.
The synopsis details that the plot follows "a former Chicago mob enforcer who, after release from prison, finds work under a retired Texas Ranger. Their unlikely friendship is tested when both men's pasts threaten to catch up with them."
