James Earl Jones, widely known as the voice of Star Wars villain Darth Vader, died at the age of 93.
According to agent Barry McPherson, he died early Monday morning while surrounded by family.
Jones has appeared in dozens of films, including Field of Dreams, Coming to America, Conan the Barbarian, and The Lion King. He was best recognized for giving the Star Wars supervillain Darth Vader his characteristic, gravelly tone.
Mark Hamill, who played Vader’s son Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, posted “RIP Dad” with a broken heart emoji beside a news article of his death.
Jones received three Tony Awards, two Emmys, and a Grammy throughout his career, as well as an honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement in 2011.
He was only the second Black man, after Sidney Poitier, to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor in 1971.
Star Trek actor LeVar Burton was among the first to pay tribute to Jones, stating, “There will never be another of his particular combinations of graces.”.
Colman Domingo, a US actor, too paid respect, writing, “Thank you, dear James Earl Jones, for everything.” a master of our craft. We are standing on your shoulders. Take a break now. “You gave us your all.”
Kevin Costner, who co-starred with Jones in Field of Dreams, commented, “That booming voice. That silent strength. He radiated kindness. But much can be written about his legacy, but I’ll just express my gratitude that it includes Field of Dreams.”
Octavia Spencer, an Oscar-winning actress, said 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.”
Crystal Minkoff, wife of The Lion King co-director Rob Minkoff, shared a photo of Jones clutching a statue of Mufasa with the caption, “Rest in Power, Mr. Jones.” When you agreed to play Mufasa, you fulfilled the dream of a young animator.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done for Rob. “Your memory will live on.”
Jones also provided the voiceover for CNN’s “This is CNN” catchphrase.
“He was the voice of CNN and our brand for many decades, uniquely conveying instant authority, grace, and decorum through his speech,” the broadcaster told the Hollywood Reporter.
“That remarkable voice is just one of many things the world will miss about James.”
Jones, born in Mississippi in January 1931, stated that he was unable to talk for the majority of his youth due to a stammer.
He claimed that he created his famous voice while learning how to deal with his stammer.
Jones was best recognized for his role as Darth Vader in the 1977 blockbuster Star Wars, as well as its sequels, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
He reprised the role in later films, including the first installment of the Star Wars anthology series Rogue One and the third installment of the sequel trilogy, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, both of which were released in the late 2010s.
Darth Vader was always played by a different actor, including the late David Prowse, with Jones providing his deep and instantly distinctive voice.
“I love being part of that whole myth, that whole cult,” Jones said in an earlier interview, adding that he was happy to satisfy fans who requested a command recital of his “I am your father” statement.
Jones claimed he never made any money from the Darth Vader role—barely $9,000 (£6,884) for the first film—and saw it as merely a special effects job.
At his own request, he was not given credit for his performance. He thought it was all just another “special effect.”.
When the films broke every box office record, he was convinced to reconsider.
Jones was also well-known as a television actor, having played the elder Alex Hailey in Roots: The Next Generation and receiving one of his two Emmys for the lead part in the US drama Gabriel’s Fire.
His gravelly tones were heard on The Simpsons, and he appeared in early episodes of Sesame Street.
Jones also played numerous renowned Shakespeare characters on stage, including Othello and King Lear.
