James Earl Jones, well-known for his deep, booming voice and his diverse career spanning six decades, has passed away on September 9 at the age of 93 due to old age mixed with complications from diabetes.
Jones is perhaps most well known for his voice work as Mufasa in the Lion King films and as Darth Vader in the Star Wars films, though his versatility as a dramatic and humorous performer was also on display in the critically acclaimed films Field of Dreams (1989) and Coming to America (1988). More than just films, Jones won Tony Awards for Best Actor for his performance in The Great White Hope (1967) and Fences (1987).
Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, on January 17, 1931. He struggled with a horrible stutter and diabetes as a child, but with hard work, overcame these challenges and followed his estranged father Robert Earl Jones into acting. His first film role was in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove (1964), and he quickly racked up appearances in films as military men and African tribal leaders.
Jones was so successful playing a soldier because, before acting on stage and screen, he was a soldier stationed at Camp Hale in Leadville, Colorado. Jones was a second lieutenant in charge of establishing a cold-weather training command center at the former World War II base so soldiers could be prepared to invade Russia if necessary. At the end of his service, he was promoted to first lieutenant, and while he didn’t always enjoy his time in the rugged Rockies (he was in charge of cold weather training, after all), he remarked on several occasions on how beautiful Colorado is.
Throughout his career, Jones received numerous awards, including an honorary Academy Award, a Grammy, and two Emmys. Additionally, he was recognized for his contributions to American culture at the National Medal of Arts ceremony.
Even though James Earl Jones’s passing marks the end of an era, his legacy will live on thanks to his memorable roles and influence on actors who came after him. His voice will continue to be heard for many years to come as well: Jones penned a deal with Disney in 2022 that they could use AI to replicate his voice for future Star Wars projects, cementing him as the definitive voice of Darth Vader both now and in the future.
