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James Earl Jones was known for his deep voice. (Archive photo) © Rick Rycroft/AP/dpa
He lent his deep voice to the “Star Wars” villain Darth Vader. As a character actor, he appeared in films as diverse as “The Hunt for Red October,” “Field of Dreams,” “Coming to America” and “The Cartel.” James Earl Jones was also revered as a stage star. Now Hollywood must say goodbye to the legendary actor. Jones died on Monday (local time) in his house in Dutchess County (US state of New York), his management announced. He was 93 years old.
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Jones, who stuttered for years as a child, later said that he had overcome his speech impediment by reciting poems and acting. He began appearing in front of the camera in 1964. Jones made his film debut in Stanley Kubrick’s “Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb”. He was nominated for an Oscar for his role as black boxer Jack Jefferson in “The Great White Hope” (1970). He became world famous in 1977 for his voice role in “Star Wars”: Director George Lucas had hired him to voice the supervillain Darth Vader.
Hollywood colleagues mourn
Mark Hamill, who played Darth Vader’s son Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars saga, said goodbye to his longtime co-star on the X platform: “Rest in peace, father,” wrote Hamill – with a broken heart as an emoji.
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Other Hollywood colleagues also expressed their sadness. The word “legendary” does not even begin to describe his iconic roles and his influence on cinema, wrote Oscar winner Octavia Spencer on Instagram. Jones’ voice and talent will always be remembered. “Rustin” star Colman Domingo thanked Jones as a master of the acting arts “for everything”. “We stand on your shoulders,” wrote Domingo on X.
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Also a star on stage
As a theater actor, Jones won two Tony trophies. He has appeared in several Shakespeare plays, as well as in Tennessee Williams’ “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and on Broadway in New York in “Driving Miss Daisy” alongside Vanessa Redgrave. He has also received two Emmys for television roles and a Grammy for his voice-over work. In 2011, the Academy Awards presented him with an honorary Oscar for his services to film. Jones was able to join the ceremony via video link as he was performing in London at the time.
His distinctive voice could also be heard in commercials and video games. In the 1994 animated film “The Lion King” he voiced the old Mufasa, and he also voiced the Lion King in the 2019 remake. In 2021 he returned to the screen once again in the sequel to the hit 1988 comedy “Coming to America”. In “Coming to America 2” he played King Jaffe Joffer alongside Eddie Murphy.
