Acclaimed actor James Earl Jones, passed away on Sept. 9. at a home in New York. Jone’s cause of death has not been released.
Jones was known for his spectacular voice, lending it to huge pop culture icons such as the menacing Darth Vader of “Star Wars” and “The Lion King”‘s Mufasa. Jones would become a pioneer for African American actors, as he became one of the first African Americans to have a returning role on TV in his role for “As the World Turns.”
Jones also starred in Broadway musicals, lending his voice to film narration. For his work, Jones won two Emmys, two Tonys, a Grammy, a Golden Globe, and an Academy Honorary award, which would make him an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) award winner, if the definition included non-competitive awards. Jones would continue acting into his 80s, when in 2022 he announced he would retire from acting.
James Earl Jones’ memory will live on, not just in his incredible filmography, and people’s cherished memories, but on screen as he permitted Lucasfilm to continue to use his voice for Darth Vader via Respeecher to artificially create his voice using archival recordings.
Jones was married to Julienne Marie, who he divorced in 1972. His second wife, and mother of his son, Cecilia Hart passed in 2016. Jones is survived by Flynn Earl Jones.
