James Earl Jones, the acclaimed actor with a voice that became legendary as Darth Vader in Star Wars and Mufasa in The Lion King, has passed away at 93.
Jones was hailed as one of the greatest actors of his era, with a career that ranged from classic Shakespearean roles to blockbuster movies. He achieved the rare distinction of winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award, a feat known as “EGOT.”
Deadline reported his death through his representatives at Independent Artist Group.
James Earl Jones was born on January 17, 1931, in Arkabutla, Mississippi, and was raised by his grandparents in Dublin, Michigan. Despite his future fame, he struggled with a stutter as a child. “I was a stutterer. I couldn’t talk,” Jones shared 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 supportive teacher helped him overcome this challenge 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 become renowned for his Shakespearean roles, including Othello and King Lear. His film debut came in Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 classic Dr. Strangelove, where he played Lt. Lothar Zogg.
In 1967, Jones starred as a boxer in The Great White Hope, earning a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. He reprised this role in the 1970 film version, which earned him his first Academy Award nomination.
Jones soon landed his most iconic role: the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars. Though David Prowse physically portrayed Vader, Jones provided the character’s unforgettable voice. “The voice of Darth Vader is my most famous role, but it was really just a voice,” Jones said.
His deep, resonant tones made Vader one of cinema’s most enduring villains. Jones continued voicing Vader in The Empire Strikes Back, Return of the Jedi, Revenge of the Sith, and Rogue One. In 2022, he retired from the role but agreed to allow his voice to be used in future projects through AI and archive recordings.
Jones also voiced Mufasa in Disney’s 1994 film The Lion King and returned for the 2019 remake.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, Jones appeared in films such as Conan the Barbarian, Coming to America, Field of Dreams, The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, and The Sandlot. He won his second Tony Award for his role in August Wilson’s Fences.
He received eight Emmy nominations for his television work, winning twice in 1991: for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for Heat Wave and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Gabriel’s Fire.
Jones continued to dazzle on Broadway, starring in revivals like On Golden Pond, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Driving Miss Daisy, The Best Man, and You Can’t Take It With You.
Among his many accolades, Jones received an Honorary Academy Award in 2011. Broadway’s Cort Theatre was renamed the James Earl Jones Theatre in his honor in 2022.
James Earl Jones leaves behind a remarkable legacy. Rest in peace to this iconic actor. Please share this story to honor the incredible life and career of James Earl Jones 💔.
