James Earl Jones, the legendary actor famous for his powerful voice as Darth Vader in Star Wars and Mufasa in The Lion King, has passed away at 93.
Jones was celebrated as one of the greatest actors of his time. His career was a remarkable journey from Shakespearean stages to Hollywood blockbusters. He was one of the rare actors to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award.
The news of his death was confirmed by Deadline, through his representatives at Independent Artist Group.
James Earl Jones was born on January 17, 1931, in Arkabutla, Mississippi. He was raised by his grandparents in Dublin, Michigan. Despite becoming one of the world’s most recognized voices, he once struggled with a stutter. “I was a stutterer. I couldn’t talk,” Jones remembered in a 1996 interview.
“So my first year of school was my first mute year, and then those mute years continued until I got to high school.” A teacher helped him overcome his speech issues by encouraging him to read poetry aloud.
After serving in the US Army during the Korean War, Jones pursued acting. He studied at the American Theatre Wing while working as a janitor to make ends meet. By the 1960s, he had already made a name for himself as a brilliant Shakespearean actor, taking on roles like Othello and King Lear. His film career began with Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 comedy Dr. Strangelove, where he played Lt. Lothar Zogg.
In 1967, Jones starred as a boxer in The Great White Hope, winning a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. He reprised this role in the 1970 film adaptation, earning his first Academy Award nomination.
Jones is perhaps best known for his iconic role as Darth Vader in Star Wars. Though David Prowse wore the Vader costume, Jones provided the unforgettable deep voice. This role became one of the most famous in film history. “The voice of Darth Vader is my most famous role, but it was really just a voice,” Jones once said.
He continued to voice Vader in The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Revenge of the Sith, and Rogue One. In 2022, Jones retired from the role but allowed his voice to be used in future projects through artificial intelligence and archive recordings.
Jones also voiced Mufasa in Disney’s The Lion King (1994) and returned for the 2019 remake.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Jones appeared in numerous films, including Conan the Barbarian, Coming to America, Field of Dreams, and The Hunt for Red October. He won his second Tony Award for his role in August Wilson’s Fences.
Jones earned eight Emmy nominations for his television work, winning twice in 1991 for Heat Wave and Gabriel’s Fire. He remained active on Broadway, starring in revivals of On Golden Pond, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Driving Miss Daisy, The Best Man, and You Can’t Take It With You.
In addition to his many awards, Jones received an Honorary Academy Award in 2011. He was one of the few people to achieve the “EGOT” status by winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. In 2022, Broadway’s Cort Theatre was renamed the James Earl Jones Theatre in his honor.
James Earl Jones leaves behind a legacy as one of the greatest actors of our time. Rest in peace, James Earl Jones. Please share this story to honor his memory.