James Earl Jones, the American actor known for being the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars, has died at the age of 93.
The Hollywood star’s voice was also lent to the likes of Mufasa in Disney’s 1994 film The Lion King, various audiobooks and to CNN for its “This is CNN” tagline.
During his career, he won a host of awards including Emmys, Tony Awards, a Grammy and was given an honorary Oscar.
On Monday, his long-time agent Barry McPherson confirmed the veteran actor had died.
Born in 1931, Jones overcame a stutter in his childhood and later became one of the most instantly recognisable voices in the world.
The actor was arguably best known for giving the Star Wars supervillain Darth Vader his classic husky voice, but he was already an award-winning star of stage and screen when the original movie was being developed by George Lucas in the 1970s.
He later reprised the voice in 2005 for Revenge Of The Sith and he returned to the role nine years later in the first episode of Star Wars Rebels, and in 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Before his Star Wars role, he wowed critics with his Tony Award-winning performance as a boxer in 1968 play The Great White Hope, later taking on the lead in the 1970 movie adaptation, for which he picked up a Golden Globe.
He later secured the best actor Tony award for a second time for Fences and in 2017 he was presented with the Tony for lifetime achievement in the theatre.
The actor demonstrated versatility in everything from Shakespearean epics to television dramas and comedies.
He played memorable film roles including reclusive writer Terence Mann in 1989’s Field Of Dreams and a South African minister in Cry, The Beloved Country.
His notable films included the 1988 romcom Coming To America starring Eddie Murphy and 1982 epic Conan The Barbarian, where he played opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Jones garnered two Primetime Emmys for his roles in the 1990 thriller Heat Wave and the 1990 crime drama Gabriel’s Fire, and he won the Grammy in 1977 for best spoken word recording for Great American Documents.
His stage credits include a host of Broadway productions and several plays in London, one of the latest being a production of Much Ado About Nothing at The Old Vic in 2013.
In 2022, the Shubert Organisation’s Cort Theatre on Broadway was renamed after Jones to recognise his “lifetime of immense contributions to Broadway and the entire artistic community”, according to a statement by the Shuberts at the time.
Among his numerous awards, Jones received the National Medal of Arts, a Kennedy Centre Honour and an honorary Oscar in 2011.
Hollywood stars are among those who have paid tribute, including Star Wars actor Mark Hamill, who portrayed Luke Skywalker, writing on social media “#RIP dad” with a broken heart emoji.
This man was the living embodiment of artistry, integrity, creativity, and dignity. James Earl Jones is the sole reason I became an actor. He stirred a vocation in me that gave voice to my unsung heart songs. By example, he led me on the exploration of my own personal humanity… pic.twitter.com/gze67IuVOI
— Wendell Pierce (@WendellPierce) September 9, 2024
The Wire star Wendell Pierce hailed him as the “living embodiment of artistry, integrity, creativity, and dignity” in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
He added: “James Earl Jones is the sole reason I became an actor. He stirred a vocation in me that gave voice to my unsung heart songs.
“By example, he led me on the exploration of my own personal humanity and the study of human behaviour in others and the intangible, ever-present soul.
“He was a once-in-a-generation talent that has left an enormous legacy in American culture.”
In his tribute on X, Star Trek star George Takei said: “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.”
