James Earl Jones, the voice behind Star Wars' iconic Darth Vader, dies at 93
James Earl Jones, famous for voicing Darth Vader in Star Wars, passed away at the age of 93. He was also the voice of Mufasa in The Lion King.
"From Mufasa's gentle wisdom to Darth Vader's powerful presence, James Earl Jones brought life to some of the greatest movie characters," said Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company, in a statement.
James Earl Jones Has Passed Away
James Earl Jones' agency confirmed his death early on Tuesday, September 10, 2024. He reportedly passed away on Monday, surrounded by his family. The cause of his death is still unknown, but he had been diagnosed with diabetes.
James Earl Jones' Career With nearly 200 films and TV shows under his belt, James became famous as the voice of Darth Vader.
The Career of James Earl Jones
He once shared that he was paid $7,000 for the role and got lucky because George Lucas wanted a "darker voice" than the actor in the suit, David Prowse. His final role was voicing Darth Vader in the Obi-Wan Kenobi web series.
Two decades after voicing Darth Vader, James Earl Jones took on another famous role as Mufasa in The Lion King. Interestingly, he based Mufasa on his own experience as a father rather than making him sound royal.
James started his acting career in Dr. Strangelove (1964), directed by Stanley Kubrick.
He gained recognition for playing boxer Jack Johnson in The Great White Hope (1967), a role that earned him an Oscar nomination, making him the second African American man to be nominated.
Over the next 50 years, James played many memorable roles.
He portrayed Alex Haley in Roots: The Next Generation, an African king in Coming to America, and the villain Thulsa Doom in Conan the Barbarian. He returned to his role in Coming 2 America, released in 2021.
How James Earl Jones Overcame Personal Challenges to Become a Professional Icon?
James Earl Jones was born in Mississippi to a family with African, Irish, and Cherokee roots. His father, Robert Earl Jones, was also an actor. When James was 5, he moved with his grandparents to a farm in Michigan.
At that time, he stopped speaking due to a severe stutter. He remained silent for nearly 10 years until, in school, he was tricked into reciting a poem, which helped him find his voice again.
Over time, he learned to manage his stutter and decided to pursue a career in acting.
