James Earl Jones, voice of Darth Vader and Mufasa in The Lion King, dies aged 93
James Earl Jones, the American actor known for being the voice of Darth Vader in Star Wars, has died at the age of 93.
Born in 1931, Jones overcame a stutter in his childhood and later became one of the most instantly recognisable voices in the world. The actor was arguably best known for giving the Star Wars supervillain Darth Vader his classic husky voice, but he was already an award-winning star of stage and screen when the original movie was being developed by George Lucas in the 1970s.
He later reprised the voice in 2005 for Revenge Of The Sith and he returned to the role nine years later in the first episode of Star Wars Rebels, and in 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
Before his Star Wars role, he wowed critics with his Tony Award-winning performance as a boxer in 1968 play The Great White Hope, later taking on the lead in the 1970 movie adaptation, for which he picked up a Golden Globe.
Hollywood stars are among those who have paid tribute, including Star Wars actor Mark Hamill, who portrayed Luke Skywalker, writing on social media “#RIP dad” with a broken heart emoji.
The Wire star Wendell Pierce hailed him as the “living embodiment of artistry, integrity, creativity, and dignity” in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
He added: “James Earl Jones is the sole reason I became an actor. He stirred a vocation in me that gave voice to my unsung heart songs.
“By example, he led me on the exploration of my own personal humanity and the study of human behaviour in others and the intangible, ever-present soul.
“He was a once-in-a-generation talent that has left an enormous legacy in American culture.”
In his tribute on X, Star Trek star George Takei said: “A great spirit and boundless, unique voice has left us.
“James Earl Jones has passed, and he is returned to the great beyond.
“We are all the lesser for his loss, and we collectively mourn his passing and honour his great body of work.”