James Earl Jones, voice of Darth Vader, dies aged 93
James Earl Jones, pictured in 2015
James Earl Jones, the renowned Hollywood actor famous for voicing Darth Vader, has passed away at the age of 93, as confirmed by his agent.
He passed away early Monday morning with his family by his side, according to his agent, Barry McPherson.
Jones appeared in many movies, such as Field of Dreams, Coming to America, and Conan the Barbarian. However, he is most recognized for providing the iconic deep voice of the Star Wars villain, Darth Vader.
Mark Hamill, known for his role as Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader's son in Star Wars, expressed his sorrow by posting "RIP Dad" alongside a broken heart emoji while sharing a news article about the passing.
Jones also lent his voice to Mufasa in Disney's 1994 movie The Lion King, as well as being the voice behind the "This is CNN" slogan.
Born in Mississippi in January 1931, Jones mentioned that he struggled to talk for much of his early years due to a stutter.
He shared that he had cultivated his renowned voice while learning to cope with his stutter.
He went on to receive numerous accolades, including Emmys, Tony Awards, a Grammy, and a special honorary Oscar.
Jones lent his voice to Darth Vader in the first Star Wars movie, released in 1977, along with its sequels, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.
He took on the same character again in subsequent movies, including the first entry in the Star Wars anthology series, Rogue One, as well as the third part of the sequel trilogy, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, both of which came out in the late 2010s.
In 2002, during the premiere of Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones in New York, James Earl Jones stood beside Darth Vader.
Different actors regularly took on the role of Darth Vader by wearing the costume and portraying the character's physical movements. This included the late David Prowse, while James Earl Jones supplied the character’s iconic and powerful voice.
"I really enjoy being involved in that entire legend and community," Jones mentioned in an earlier interview, noting that he was happy to fulfill fans' requests to reenact his famous line, "I am your father."
Jones mentioned that he didn't earn a significant amount from playing Darth Vader, receiving just $9,000 (£6,884) for the first movie. He viewed it more as a job involving special effects.
At his own request, he didn't receive any acknowledgment for his performance. He believed it was just another type of "special effect."
When the movies shattered all box office records, he was convinced to reconsider his stance.
Jones gained recognition as a television actor, portraying the older version of Alex Haley in "Roots: The Next Generation." He also received one of his two Emmy Awards for his starring role in the American drama "Gabriel's Fire."
His distinctive voice was featured in The Simpsons, and he made appearances in the early seasons of Sesame Street.
Jones also took on several legendary Shakespearean roles in theater, such as Othello and King Lear.
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