James Earl Jones dies, aged 93 – George Lucas pays tribute to iconic voice of Darth Vader
The beloved actor was also known for voicing Mufasa in The Lion King.
James Earl Jones, the actor best known for his iconic voice performances in The Lion King and the Star Wars franchise, has died at the age of 93.
Jones's agent Barry McPherson confirmed the news, stating that Jones died early on Monday morning surrounded by his family.
Jones was born in January 1931 in Mississippi, and first began his acting career on stage, becoming notable for his performances in Shakespeare plays.
He then made his film debut in Stanley Kubrick's Dr Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, while his most famous role came in 1977, when he voiced Darth Vader in Star Wars.
He at first considered his role to be a special effects job, received only $9,000 for his work on the first film, and insisted he wasn't credited for his performance.
He later reconsidered, and went on to play the role in a number of other movies in the franchise.
His other film roles across his career included starring in Field of Dreams, Coming to America and Conan the Barbarian, while he also voiced Mufasa in both the original version of The Lion King and the 2019 remake.
On TV, he appeared in The Simpsons, Sesame Street and Roots: The Next Generation.
Over his career, he won three Tony awards, two Emmys and a Grammy, as well as an honorary Oscar in 2011 for lifetime achievement. He became the second Black man to be nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in 1971.
Big names from across the entertainment industry were quick to pay tribute to Jones following the news of his passing, with George Lucas, creator of the Star Wars franchise, saying in a statement: "James was an incredible actor, a most unique voice both in art and spirit. For nearly half a century he was Darth Vader, but the secret to it all is he was a beautiful human being.
"He gave depth, sincerity and meaning to all his roles, amongst the most important being a devoted husband to the late Ceci and dad to Flynn. James will be missed by so many of us... friends and fans alike."
Meanwhile, Kathleen Kennedy, who has been president of Lucasfilm since 2012, said: "James Earl Jones is one of the most versatile and talented actors of our time, with an iconic body of work across film, stage and television.
"The menacing baritone he brought to Darth Vader will forever be beloved by fans and regarded as one of the great villainous performances in cinema. His commanding presence on screen, and warm personality off screen, will be greatly missed."
Mark Hamill simply wrote "#RIP dad", in reference to his role as Luke Skywalker, the son of Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise.
Star Trek star George Takei posted on X: "A great spirit and boundless, unique voice has left us. James Earl Jones has passed, and he is returned to the great beyond. We are all the lesser for his loss, and we collectively mourn his passing and honour his great body of work."
Meanwhile, Colman Domingo said in a post on X: "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."
Octavia Spencer wrote in a post on Instagram: "I’m incredibly saddened to learn of #JamesEarlJones’ passing today. Legendary doesn’t even begin to describe his iconic roles and impact on cinema forever. His voice and talent will be remembered always.
"Sending love to his family, friends and countless fans in all the galaxies, far, far away."
Additionally, Viola Davis posted a video on Instagram, alongside the caption: "What. A. Life!!!! A life of electrifying EXCELLENCE!!
"You were the gold standard... the gravitas, the guts, sweat, strength, and vulnerability... Every character was towering and heroic. You were anointed. Honoured to have met you sir. Honoured you graced this life and left this gift of artistry.
"Rest with the giants... May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest."
