James Earl Jones, the legendary Hollywood actor known for voicing Darth Vader in “Star Wars” and Mufasa in “The Lion King,” has passed away at the age of 93. His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed that Jones died at his home, surrounded by family. While Jones had long suffered from diabetes, no specific cause of death was provided.
Jones’s illustrious career spanned decades, with notable roles in films such as “Conan the Barbarian,” “Coming to America” (where he played Eddie Murphy’s father), “The Hunt for Red October,” and “Patriot Games.” However, he is best remembered for his deep, commanding voice as Darth Vader, a role that made him a cultural icon.
Jones was one of the few entertainers to achieve the coveted EGOT status, having won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. His acting prowess and distinctive voice made him a beloved figure in Hollywood and beyond.
Mark Hamill, who portrayed Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader’s son in “Star Wars,” honored his co-star with a simple tweet: “RIP dad.” Fellow celebrities also paid tribute to Jones, with Colman Domingo, star of the recently released “Sing Sing,” expressing his gratitude: “Thank you, dear James Earl Jones, for everything. A master of our craft. We stand on your shoulders. Rest now. You gave us your best.”
The Empire State Building joined in the tributes, posting an image from earlier this year when the New York landmark was illuminated with a striking image of Lord Vader as part of its Star Wars dynamic light show event.
Jones was the only member of the original cast of “The Lion King” to reprise his role in the 2019 remake, underscoring the significance of his contribution to the film.
Reflecting on Jones’s impact, fellow “Star Wars” actor Samuel L. Jackson once said, “If you were an actor or aspired to be an actor, if you pounded the pavement in these streets looking for jobs, one of the standards we always had was to be a James Earl Jones.”
Throughout his career, Jones appeared in a range of roles, from his early part in Stanley Kubrick’s Cold War satire, “Dr. Strangelove,” to a long list of acclaimed performances on Broadway. He earned Tony Awards for his roles in “The Great White Hope” (1969) and “Fences” (1987), and Emmys in 1991 for “Gabriel’s Fire” and “Heat Wave.” He also won a Grammy in 1977 for the best-spoken word album, “Great American Documents.”
Although Jones never won a competitive Academy Award, he was nominated for Best Actor for the film version of “The Great White Hope” and received an honorary Oscar in 2011, recognizing his monumental contributions to cinema.
The Washington Post, in a 1987 review of “Fences,” described Jones as “capable of moving in seconds from boyish ingenuousness to near-biblical rage and somehow suggesting all the gradations in between.”
James Earl Jones leaves behind a legacy of unforgettable performances and an indelible impact on the world of film, theater, and television.
