By Debra Rono
James Earl Jones, the renowned American actor celebrated for his iconic voice work as the villain Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise, has passed away at the age of 93.
His agent, Barry McPherson, reported that Jones died on Monday morning, surrounded by his family.
Throughout his illustrious career, Jones appeared in numerous films, including Field of Dreams, Coming to America, Conan the Barbarian, and The Lion King.
He notably starred in the 1988 comedy ‘Coming to America’ alongside Eddie Murphy, portraying King Jaffe Joffer, the sovereign of Zamunda and father to Murphy’s character, Prince Akeem.
Jones played this role again in the 2021 sequel.
His powerful baritone voice enabled him to excel in voice acting; in addition to voicing Darth Vader, he lent his voice to King Mufasa in both the 1994 and 2019 adaptations of Disney’s The Lion King.
Over the course of his distinguished career, Jones received numerous accolades, including two Emmy Awards, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, and a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Oscars in 2011.
Earl Jones was born on January 17, 1931, in the segregated state of Mississippi. His father abandoned the family to pursue a career in boxing and later in acting.
At the age of six, Jones’s mother moved him to her parents’ farm in Michigan.
In his autobiography, he reflects on how this relocation contributed to the development of his stutter.
Overwhelmed by embarrassment, Jones became almost mute for several years, relying on written notes to communicate with his teachers and classmates until a kind-hearted teacher helped him find his voice again.
After facing challenges in his medical studies, Jones transitioned to drama at university. Following his military service, he relocated to New York in the 1950s to live with his father, and both worked as floor waxers while he enrolled in the American Theater Wing program for aspiring actors.
Jones achieved considerable acclaim on Broadway for his performance in The Great White Hope, a play inspired by the life of Black heavyweight champion Jack Johnson, which tackled the issue of racism in boxing.
He continued to be a significant presence in theater, performing in renowned Shakespearean works such as Hamlet, Macbeth, King Lear, and Othello.
His film career commenced in 1964 with Stanley Kubrick’s satirical film, Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.
The entertainment industry has mourned his passing, including Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer who wrote “Jones’ voice and talent will be remembered always” and that “legendary doesn’t even begin to describe his iconic roles and impact on cinema forever.”