This month, the galaxy mourns the death of acclaimed actor James Earl Jones. Jones was 93 at the time of his passing on Sep. 9 and was surrounded by family, according to Jones’ longtime agent Barry McPherson. Though best known for his iconic vocal portrayal of Darth Vader in “Star Wars,” Jones had a prolific acting career, winning awards for dozens of performances across stage and screen. He is one of 27 people who have achieved the EGOT.
Long before “Star Wars” and “The Lion King,” Jones possessed a flair for the dramatic throughout his early adolescence and adulthood. Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, on Jan. 17, 1931, and was later abandoned by his parents and placed in the care of his maternal grandmother. Jones would go on to state in a BBC interview that his grandmother was “the most racist person, bigoted person [he] had ever known.” This early childhood trauma would manifest in a severe stutter for Jones, which, according to an article published by The New York Times, would only be corrected with the aid of a high school English teacher who forced him to read aloud his poetry. Jones discovered acting while attending the University of Michigan, but this interest wouldn’t bear fruit until years after he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Drama in 1953. Jones joined the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant the summer following his graduation and briefly served in the military during the Korean War, according to the U.S. Department of Defense. Jones would make a name for himself quickly after returning from service in 1955.
Jones’ career was filled with critical acclaim. He is most recognized for his roles as Claudius in a 1972 New York Shakespeare Festival production of “Hamlet” and Edward in his first Broadway production “Sunrise at Campobello.” Jones received a Tony for his portrayal of Jack Jefferson in the Broadway production of “The Great White Hope” in 1969, followed by an Emmy award in 1990 for playing Gabriel Bird in the crime drama “Gabriel’s Fire.” In addition to his live-action acting career, Jones also found great success in voice acting. Many have heard Jones’ voice, whether speaking CNN’s tagline “This is CNN,” narrating “Great American Documents,” which won him a Grammy, or as the voice of Darth Vader in “Star Wars” and Mufasa in “The Lion King.” This small portion of Jones’ portfolio shows how much was lost with his passing, and many actors and collaborators have offered condolences via social media following Jones’ death, such as Mark Hamill, Bryan Cranston, Giancarlo Esposito and “Star Wars” creator George Lucas.
“Star Wars” fans should note that, although Jones has passed, he could still portray Darth Vader in future projects. According to TechRadar, Jones and Disney worked out a deal wherein Disney could use pre-recorded lines mixed with an “A.I. clone” for future depictions of the villain—a technique that Disney has already utilized in the 2022 series “Obi-Wan Kenobi.” This deal was made during an increased concern regarding artificial intelligence in art, and it is one of the first instances of a studio and actor creating an agreement regarding the use of A.I. to replicate their likeness. This deal could not only impact the future of “Star Wars,” but could set a precedent for using A.I. in the rest of the entertainment industry.
Whether or not Disney continues to use this hybrid method of voice acting for Darth Vader, Jones has nonetheless immortalized himself via his impressive career. Whether as the commanding King Lear, the nurturing Mufasa or the terrifying Vader, Jones’ voice will reverberate throughout the hearts of fans and friends until the galaxy’s end.
