James Earl Jones, voice of Darth Vader and The Lion King, dies at 93

Life Story – James Earl Jones, a legend of American theater and film, passed away Monday morning in his home state of New York. He leaves a monumental legacy including his roles as Darth Vader and Mufasa in The Lion King

American theater and screen legend James Earl Jones died Monday morning at his home in upstate New York. He was 93. He was best known for voicing the fearsome Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as Mufasa in The Lion King.

Sixty years of career and 200 appearances on screen

James Earl Jones was born on January 17, 1931, in Arkabutla, Mississippi. He overcame a severe stutter as a child through diction lessons that shaped his career. After studying at the University of Michigan and serving in the United States Air Force during the Korean War, he made his stage debut on Broadway and became an iconic figure in theater and film. Married to Cecilia Hart from 1982 until her death in 2016, he had one son, Flynn Earl Jones.

Over the course of his 60-year career, Jones has amassed nearly 200 on-screen credits, beginning with television roles in the 1980s and 1990s.