Wave Staff and Wire Reports
LOS ANGELES — Legendary actor James Earl Jones — known for his commanding screen presence in films ranging from “Field of Dreams” to “The Sandlot” and for his booming voice that gave life to Darth Vader in “Star Wars” and Mufasa in Disney’s “The Lion King” — died Sept. 9 at age 93.
His representatives confirmed to Deadline that Jones died at his home in Dutchess County, New York.
Born in Mississippi, Jones began his career on stage appearing in a variety of Shakespeare productions, then landed roles on the soap operas “Guiding Light” and “As the World Turns.” He broke onto the big screen playing the role of bombardier Lt. Lothar Zogg in director Stanley Kubrick’s dark nuclear war comedy/drama “Dr. Strangelove.”
He appeared regularly on television, and landed roles in films such as “End of the Road” and “The Great White Hope.” He also appeared in the TV miniseries “Roots,” portraying author Alex Haley.
But 1977 also brought “Star Wars,” with Jones providing the menacing baritone voice of villain Darth Vader, and catapulting Jones to household-name status and making him a sought-after and instantly recognizable voice actor.
His other film credits include “Coming to America,” “The Hunt for Red October,” “Sneakers” and “Clear and Present Danger.”
Denzel Washington was among many top performers with high praise for Jones.
“He’s my hero,” Washington said. “I wanted to sound like him. He was everything to me as a budding actor. He was who I wanted to be.”
Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger hailed Jones in a statement, saying, “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. 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.”
“Star Wars” actor Mark Hamill posted a photo of himself with Jones on Instagram and wrote, “One of the world’s finest actors whose contributions to ‘Star Wars’ were immeasurable. He’ll be greatly missed.”
Actress Octavia Spencer wrote on social media, “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.”
George Lucas, who directed “Star Wars,” also had high praise for Jones.
“James was an incredible actor, a most unique voice both in art and spirit,” Lucas said in a statement. “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 devoted husband to the late Ceci and dad to Flynn. James will be missed by so many of us … friends and fans alike.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger starred with Jones in 1982’s “Conan the Barbarian.”
“James Earl Jones was an icon,” Schwarzenegger said. “He will always live on with his legacy of playing some of the greatest characters of all time.
“When we filmed ‘Conan,’ I was the new kid on the block, and he couldn’t have been more welcoming. He was always willing to read lines with me in his trailer, and he always had the perfect acting advice. He was a fantastic mentor who taught me about the craft and about Hollywood.
“He didn’t have to do that, and it shows you how big his heart was. I’ll miss him, and I will never forget him.”
LeVar Burton posted on X: “James Earl Jones. … There will never be another of his particular combination of graces.”
