James Earl Jones, the beloved stage and screen actor who lent his iconic, deep voice to Darth Vader in Star Wars and Mufasa in The Lion King, has died at 93.
Regarded as one of the best actors of his generation, Jones’ career spanned Shakespeare to Hollywood hits. He is one of the few actors to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony Award.
The actor’s death was reported by Deadline, via his representatives at Independent Artist Group.
James Earl Jones was born January 17, 1931 in Arkabutla, Mississippi and raised by his grandparents in Dublin, Michigan. While he would later become one of the most famous voices in the world, he says he suffered from a stutter in his youth.
“I was a stutterer. I couldn’t talk,” Jones recalled in a 1996 interview. “So my first year of school was my first mute year, and then those mute years continued until I got to high school.” A teacher encouraged him to overcome his stutter by reading poetry aloud.
Jones served in the US Army during the Korean War, and after decided to pursue a career in acting. He studied at the American Theatre Wing, working as a janitor to support himself. By the 1960s, Jones was establishing himself as one of his generation’s great Shakespearean actors, playing roles like Othello and King Lear. He also made his film debut in Stanley Kubrick’s classic 1964 comedy Dr. Strangelove, as bombadier Lt. Lothar Zogg.
In 1967, he played a boxer in The Great White Hope, winning the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play. He reprised the role in the 1970 film version, receiving his first Academy Award nomination.
Amidst all his acclaimed acting work, Jones soon landed his most well-known and iconic role — one where he didn’t even have to appear on set: voicing the villainous Darth Vader in Star Wars. While Vader was played in costume by David Prowse, Jones dubbed over the lines with his own deep bass voice, helping to create one of the most famous characters in movie history.
While Jones originally opted to go uncredited for the role, it has become perhaps his most famous performance. He continued to voice Vader for decades, in the two sequels The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, the prequel Revenge of the Sith and the spin-off Rogue One. In 2022, Jones retired from the role, but signed an agreement for his voice to be used in future projects using artificial intelligence and archive recordings.
Jones also provided the voice of another beloved movie character, Mufasa in the 1994 Disney film The Lion King. Jones later reprised the role in the 2019 remake.
Throughout the ’80s and ’90s, Jones appeared in many Hollywood films, including Conan the Barbarian, Coming to America, Field of Dreams, and The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games and The Sandlot. He also won his second Tony Award, starring in the original production of August Wilson’s Fences.
He received eight Emmy Award nominations for his television work, winning twice in 1991: Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for Heat Wave and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Gabriel’s Fire.
Jones also continued to perform on Broadway: over the past 20 years he starred in revivals of On Golden Pond, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Driving Miss Daisy, The Best Man and You Can’t Take it With You.
Jones was the recipient of many awards and honors throughout his acclaimed career. He received an Honorary Academy Award in 2011, making him one of the only people to have won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award, known as “EGOT.” Broadway’s Cort Theatre was renamed the James Earl Jones Theatre in his honor in 2022.
Rest in peace to the iconic James Earl Jones, one of the greatest actors of our time — please share this
Mother births 3rd set of twins, but when she sees birth certificate she can’t believe her eyes
In a whirlwind of astonishing occurrences, a Wisconsin couple found themselves caught in the enigmatic thread of fate as they welcomed twins for the third time, all born on the exact same date.
Back in 2013, Carrie and Craig Kosinski were approached by a woman faced with the weighty decision of finding a loving home for the twins she was carrying. She confided: “I’m unable to provide the life these infants deserve”.
Sharing their journey with NBC’s “Today”, Carrie revealed that despite their initial aspirations for biological children, they embraced the prospect of adoption wholeheartedly.
In a testament to their unwavering faith, Carrie expressed: “We believed this was meant to be. We wholeheartedly embraced God’s plan, choosing adoption over our initial hopes for biological parenthood”.
Adalynn and Kenna made their entrance into the world via an emergency cesarean on February 28, 2014, the same date that marked the birthdays of their biological siblings, JJ and CeCe, born the year before.
Exactly a year after legally embracing Adalynn and Kenna, fate made another turn as the twins’ birth mother approached the Kosinskis once more, this time seeking adoption for JJ and CeCe. The couple embraced this opportunity without hesitation.
Surprising the Kosinskis yet again, September 2015 brought news of an unexpected pregnancy, twin babies. Carrie underwent an emergency cesarean on a date that stunned them, February 28, 2016. Though the due date was set for three months later, unforeseen circumstances led to an early water break, resulting in six weeks of hospital bed rest before the eventual surgery.
Despite the peculiar coincidence of all six children sharing the same birthdate, Carrie emphasized their individuality. Reflecting on this, she remarked: “Each child’s unique personality is a profound delight. Their differences lead us in six distinct directions, each revealing its own charm”.
Sharing their story, the Kosinski family aimed to broaden perspectives on adoption. Carrie elaborated: “Our belief in divine adoption into God’s family predisposed us to interpret this as a divine plan. These children are an immense blessing, equally and boundlessly loved. We seek no other existence”.
Their narrative swiftly circulated online, evoking a torrent of well-wishes and heartfelt sentiments. One reader wrote: “Heartiest congratulations to your remarkable family! May divine blessings light your path forever”. Another remarked: “Astounding, a profoundly moving tale that speaks volumes about destiny. Sharing a birthdate across different years, an authentically astonishing spectacle”.
Kindly be advised: The initial entreaty sought a reconfiguration of the text, infusing the elements of bewilderment and burstiness. The ensuing composition has undergone substantial rephrasing, featuring an elevated lexicon and structural enhancements, all while preserving the essential context and reference to the individuals mentioned.
Leave a Reply