James Earl Jones: 1931-2024
Darth Vader's Voice Actor Has Died
Everyone at Lucasfilm was profoundly affected by the news of James Earl Jones' death at the age of 93. For more than forty years, the talented actor brought to life the iconic character of Darth Vader with his distinctive voice in the Star Wars series.
“James Earl Jones is one of the most adaptable and gifted actors of our era, boasting an impressive array of performances in film, theater, and television,” states Kathleen Kennedy. “The deep, menacing voice he gave to Darth Vader will always be cherished by fans and remembered as one of the standout villain roles in movie history. His strong presence on screen, along with his gracious demeanor off screen, will be profoundly missed.”
“James was an outstanding actor with a truly distinctive voice, both in his craft and his character,” explains George Lucas. “For nearly fifty years, he embodied Darth Vader, but the real essence of his legacy is that he was a wonderful person. He brought depth, authenticity, and significance to every role he played, especially as a loving husband to the late Ceci and father to Flynn. He will be deeply missed by countless friends and fans.”
James Earl Jones first collaborated with Lucasfilm in early 1977 when he was selected to provide the voice for Darth Vader in Star Wars: A New Hope. By that time, he had already built a successful career as an actor in theater and film, featuring in iconic works like Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964), a film that had a significant impact on writer and director George Lucas.
Although many people consider James Earl Jones to have one of the most iconic voices ever and he played a significant role in making Darth Vader a movie legend, he wasn't initially George Lucas' top pick for the voice role. "The story goes that Lucas first considered Orson Welles," Jones remembered. "But then he probably realized that Orson's voice was too famous, so he ended up choosing a voice that originated in Mississippi, grew up in Michigan, and belonged to someone who had a stutter. And that happened to be me."
Today, it’s almost impossible to picture anyone else voicing the iconic first villain of Star Wars. With his deep, powerful voice, Jones was the perfect choice for the character. He once described the process of recording that voice as one that required maintaining very specific limits on how it sounded, emphasizing that he needed to strip away any sense of emotion. “My goal was to remove any sense of humanity from Darth Vader’s voice,” Jones explained, “keeping it purely imposing and devoid of personal awareness.”
Jones consistently praised David Prowse for his portrayal of Vader. He remarked, “David Prowse put in a tremendous effort to bring Darth Vader to life… I don’t take any credit for the character. I believe that the essence of the performance is shaped by the audience. Vader serves as a great example that if you allow a character to shine, strong and impactful dialogue can trigger a wealth of emotions and ideas in the audience’s imagination.”
In the 1980 film Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Jones delivered one of the most memorable lines in film history: "No, I am your father." The actor reminisced about his initial reaction when he read the script, which originally had the line as "Luke, I am your father." He thought to himself, "That's not true; I wonder how they're going to portray that falsehood."
That single line of dialogue significantly shaped the storyline of the Star Wars series for the following quarter of a century. As Jones would clarify, “Darth Vader doesn’t see himself as a villain. This implies that he hasn't always been bad, leading to the question: How does someone turn to evil, and can they find a way to redeem themselves?”
In 2005, Jones completed his journey by reprising his role as Darth Vader in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith. True to his humble nature, he honored actor Hayden Christensen, who played Anakin Skywalker and later took on the Vader persona. “I see a lot of promise in the choices he makes as Darth Vader,” he remarked while the film was still being made.
Darth Vader stayed a significant part of Jones' career for another twenty years, as he returned to the role in various projects, including TV shows like Star Wars Rebels and Obi-Wan Kenobi, theme park rides such as Star Tours: The Adventures Continue, and additional movies like Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Reflecting on his experience, he expressed, "I'm really happy to be part of such an iconic legacy. Even as an outsider—because that’s how I see myself—I feel like I'm just a special effect at most."
For everyone at Lucasfilm and for many fans around the world, James Earl Jones meant so much more than merely being an observer. He provided the iconic voice for the character at the heart of our cherished narrative, and he will always live on in our hearts and minds.
