It has been reported that the prolific actor, known for being the voice of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars movies, James Earl Jones, has died at the age of 93. His representative confirmed the news.
After overcoming a significant childhood stutter, Jones rose to become one of the trailblazing Black actors of his generation, building an extensive and diverse career that has spanned over six decades.
James Earl Jones’ legacy
Jones made his Broadway debut in 1958 at the Cort Theatre, which was renamed the James Earl Jones Theatre in 2022. His most recent appearance was in 2021’s Coming 2 America, where he reprised his role as King Jaffe Joffer from the 1988 Eddie Murphy classic Coming to America.
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Jones is known for revisiting iconic roles, including voicing King Mufasa in Disney’s The Lion King (1994), its 1998 sequel, and the 2019 remake, as well as playing CIA deputy director Vice Admiral James Greer in three Jack Ryan films: The Hunt for Red October (1990), Patriot Games (1992), and Clear and Present Danger (1994).
Jones was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for his performance in The Great White Hope (1971) and received an honorary Oscar in 2012. He has been nominated for an Emmy eight times, winning twice in 1991: Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Gabriel’s Fire and Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or Special for Heat Wave.
A commanding figure on Broadway, Jones earned four Tony Award nominations for Best Actor in a Play, winning twice—first in 1969 for The Great White Hope and again in 1987 for his portrayal of Troy Maxson in August Wilson’s Fences. He also received a Special Tony Award in 2017.
In September 2022, the Shubert Organization renamed its 110-year-old Cort Theatre as the James Earl Jones Theatre. The dedication ceremony was attended by Samuel L. Jackson, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Norm Lewis, and New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
“You can’t think of an artist that has served America more,” Broadway director Kenny Leon told the Associated Press. Though Jones did not attend the ceremony, he had received a private tour of the theater the week before. Jones was also honored as a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2002 and received Lifetime Achievement Awards from SAG-AFTRA in 2009 and the National Board of Review in 1995.
