American actor James Earl Jones, known for his voice as Darth Vader and for his prolific career in theater and film, died Monday at the age of 93, his agents announced.
In addition to the legendary villain of the “Star Wars” saga, the actor also dubbed Mufasa in the cartoon “The Lion King”.
“Rest in peace dad,” reacted on X the actor Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker in George Lucas’ intergalactic opera.
The sepulchral voice of Darth Vader, and his famous “I am your father”, shouted at Luke during a lightsaber fight, have left their mark on millions of movie fans.
James Earl Jones initially refused to have his name appear in the film’s credits, out of respect for British actor David Prowse, who played Vader on screen.
In a career spanning more than 60 years, James Earl Jones established himself as one of the pioneering African-American actors of his generation, after overcoming a stutter that severely handicapped him during childhood.
Born in 1931 in Mississippi, a segregated state in the South, he is one of the few artists to have been awarded all the major prizes in the American entertainment industry (Emmy Awards for television, Grammy Awards for music, Oscars for cinema, and Tony Awards for theater).
His first film role came in Stanley Kubrick’s “Doctor Strangelove,” where he played Lieutenant Zogg aboard a B-52 bomber.
Other prominent roles include King Jaffe Joffer in “Coming to America” and the villain Thulsa Doom in “Conan the Barbarian.”
In the theater, the actor notably played in “L’Insurgé”, a play retracing the career of Jack Johnson, the first African-American heavyweight champion boxer, and in “The Blacks”, the play by Jean Genet entitled “Les Nègres” in French, alongside the poet Maya Angelou.
– Hollywood moved –
James Earl Jones has won two Tony Awards, including a special Tony for his entire career in 2017. In 2011, the cinema honored him with an honorary Oscar for his entire body of work.
His death drew many tributes in Hollywood on Monday. In addition to Mark Hamill, African-American actor Colman Domingo (“Rustin,” “Sing Sing”) paid tribute to his career.
“Thank you to dear James Earl Jones for everything. A master of our craft. We stand on your shoulders,” he wrote on X. “Rest now. You gave us your best.”
Filmmaker Barry Jenkins, who directed “Mufasa: The Lion King,” a film set for release in December that chronicles the early life of the feline monarch and his rival Scar, also expressed his emotion.
“Forever and ever,” he posted on X, accompanying his post with a photo of a young James Earl Jones.
“Thank you for revealing us to ourselves,” director Ava DuVernay (“Selma,” “Middle of Nowhere”) shared on Instagram, hailing “a job well done” and “a gift beautifully shared.”
The filmmaker advised her fans to rewatch “Claudine,” the 1974 romantic comedy in which James Earl Jones plays a garbage man who falls in love with a black cleaning lady and mother of six children.
“It’s one of my favorite movies. James Earl Jones is perfect,” she said.
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