Tommy Lee’s joke about his daughter goes viral after her tragic death at 34

Hollywood actor Tommy Lee Jones is mourning the loss of his daughter, Victoria Jones, who was found unresponsive at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco on New Year’s Day.

Victoria, 34, reportedly suffered a medical emergency, and while there are no signs of foul play, the official cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

Legal troubles over the years

According to TMZ, Victoria was discovered at the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco on the morning of Thursday, January 1. Her body was initially found by another hotel guest, who reportedly mistook her for being passed out drunk.

TMZ say she was discovered on the 14th floor of the Fairmont by the aforementioned guest, while the Daily Mail claim that the guest then notified hotel staff.

Victoria Jones and her family. Credit / Getty Images

According to reports, Victoria had several legal troubles over the years. Most recently, in April, she was arrested for possessing cocaine. She had been offered a plea deal that would have required her to get sober, but she tragically passed away before her court date.

The family released a heartfelt statement: “We appreciate all of the kind words, thoughts, and prayers. Please respect our privacy during this difficult time. Thank you.” It was signed, “The Family of Victoria Kafka Jones.”

In the wake of the tragedy, as the public reflects on what really happened to Victoria, an old joke Tommy Lee Jones once made about his daughter has resurfaced.

Followed in her father’s footsteps

Victoria, who followed in her father’s footsteps, began acting at a young age, appearing in Men in Black II, One Tree Hill, and The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, a film directed by Tommy Lee Jones himself.

Nearly 20 years ago, Tommy Lee Jones shared a funny story about working with his daughter on that 2005 Western.

American actor Tommy Lee Jones and his daughter Victoria at a screening of the new film ‘Stuart Little 2’ at Planet Hollywood in London. (Photo by William Conran – PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)

“I fired my daughter,” he joked in a 2006 interview with The New Yorker. “She had to get up at 5 a.m. for her part. One morning, she wouldn’t get out of bed. I said, ‘Honey, this is work.’ But she wouldn’t budge. So I fired her. Then, without telling me, the production staff went over and woke her and rushed her out to the set just in time.”

He added praise for Victoria’s talents:

“She’s a good actress, has her SAG card, speaks impeccable Spanish. When she was a baby, I told Leticia, her nurse, to speak to her in Spanish.”

Victoria’s death has shocked friends, family, and fans alike, but those who knew her remember her warmth, humor, and the close bond she shared with her father.

Tommy Lee Jones, now 79, also shares a son, Austin, 42, with his second wife, Kimberlea Cloughley. Victoria, though she stepped back from acting as an adult, occasionally joined her father on red carpets and in public appearances.