James Earl Jones, Iconic Voice Of Star Wars And The Lion King, Dead At 93

He will forever be known to fans as the man whose golden baritone breathed life into one of Hollywood's most famous villains-turned-tragic heroes, Darth Vader of George Lucas' "Star Wars" franchise, as well as to Mufasa in Disney's  "The Lion King." But we must now say goodbye to James Earl Jones, who died on September 9, 2024 at 93, according to Deadline. His reps at Independent Artist Group confirmed the news of his passing.

Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi on January 17, 1931. The young Jones was raised by his grandparents, who moved from their home to Michigan when he was 5. The move traumatized him so much, he developed a debilitating stutter, and he refused to speak for years, even pretending to be mute at school so that he only needed to communicate in writing. But Jones expressed himself through his poetry and it was only after reciting one of his poems in front of his class that he found he could speak without stuttering. His high school teacher, Donald Crouch, subsequently encouraged him to take part in debates and oratorical contests.

With newfound confidence, Jones attended the University of Michigan and graduated in 1953 with a B.A. in drama. After serving in the military for a brief period, he went to New York and appeared in his first off-Broadway production in 1957. The 1961 stage production of "The Blacks" earned Jones major recognition, as he appeared alongside other notables, such as Roscoe Lee Brown, Raymond St. Jacques, Cicely Tyson, Godfrey Cambridge, and Maya Angelou.

James Earl Jones was also active in Shakespeare in the Park productions and known for his performance in the title role of the play "Othello." He garnered his first Emmy nomination for his performance in "East Side/West Side" in 1963 and he broke into film acting as Lieutenant Zogg in "Dr. Strangelove" in 1964, appearing alongside Peter Sellers and George C. Scott. In 1968, he played boxer Jack Jefferson in Broadway's "The Great White Hope," which scored him his first Tony award. When he appeared in the 1970 film version of the play that performance got him an Academy Award nomination, as well as a Golden Globe. Jones continued working onstage throughout the 1970s and 1980s, and in 1987, he won a second Tony for his performance in the play "Fences."

Jones didn't just perform onstage. He appeared in feature films, too. Other than voicing Darth Vader for "Star Wars," he appeared in thrillers "The Hunt for Red October," "Patriot Games," and "Clear and Present Danger." He said one of his favorite roles was in "Cry, the Beloved Country" as the South African minister.

The Academy for Motion Picture Arts and Sciences awarded him with an honorary Oscar in 2011. Jones was married twice, first to Julienne Marie, and then to Cecilia Hart, from 1982 until her death in 2016. Jones leaves behind a son (with late wife Cecilia), Flynn Earl Jones.