The Oscar winning American actor with the unmistakable baritone gave voice to Darth Vader, one of the cinema's most famous villains.
ADVERTISEMENTLegendary actor James Earl Jones has died aged 93.
Known as the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars saga and Mufasa in The Lion King, as well as performances in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (his first big screen role), Field of Dreams, City Limits and Coming To America, Jones was also an accomplished TV and stage actor. He starred in shows like Gabriel’s Fire, 3rd Rock From The Sun, and several episodes of Star Wars Rebels.
On stage, he starred in several major productions, including Othello, Of Mice and Men, Hamlet, Driving Miss Daisy and most recently, The Gin Game.
Jones was one of the few entertainers to have won the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony awards), winning a Grammy for best spoken word album, 'Great American Documents' in 1977. Although he never won a competitive Academy Award, he was given an honorary Oscar in 2011.
A longtime sufferer of diabetes, he died at his home surrounded by family members, according to his agent Barry McPherson. No cause of death was provided.
Famous fans and collaborators have paid tribute to the award-winning actor, including Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, Vader's son in Star Wars. He tweeted: “One of the world’s finest actors whose contributions to Star Wars were immeasurable. He’ll be greatly missed," adding: "RIP dad."
George Lucas wrote 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.”
“Legendary doesn’t even begin to describe his iconic roles and impact on cinema forever,“ wrote Octavia Spencer on Istagram. “His voice and talent will be remembered always. Sending love to his family, friends and countless fans in all the galaxies, far, far away.”
See more tributes below:
“From the gentle wisdom of Mufasa to the menacing threat of Darth Vader, James Earl Jones gave voice to some of the greatest characters in cinema history," said Disney CEO Bob Iger in a statement. "A celebrated stage actor with nearly 200 film and television credits to his name, the stories he brought to life with a uniquely commanding presence and a true richness of spirit have left an indelible mark on generations of audiences.”
“James Earl Jones will forever be remembered as The GOAT," stated actor and dancer Debbie Allen, who directed Jones in the 2008 Broadway production of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. "It was truly a privilege to direct him and a Blessing to be loved by him. We will forever speak his name and tell the great stories that will become Legend and Myth and seed generations to come.”
The Empire State Building posted an image from earlier this year of the landmark in New York being lit up with a striking image of Vader, saying: "Rest in Peace Lord Vader."
James Earl Jones - 17 January 1931 - 9 September 2024.
