TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Revered actor James Earl Jones, who voiced “Star Wars” villain Darth Vader and starred in “Field of Dreams,” has died at the age of 93.
Jones passed away at his home in Dutchess County, New York, both Variety and Deadline report.
Jones established himself as a pioneering Black actor with a career that spanned over 60 years.
He made his debut on Broadway in 1958 at the Cort Theater, which was renamed the James Earl Jones Theatre in 2022.
Jones was nominated for four Tony Awards, including two of which he won, and was nominated for eight primetime Emmy Awards, of which he also won two.
The voice of Mufasa in both “The Lion King” films, Jones had over 80 film credits, including films such as “The Hunt for Red October” (1990), “The Sandlot” (1990), and “Patriot Games” (1992).
Jones earned an honorary Oscar in 2011 and a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award in 2017. His Grammy award came in 1977 for a spoken word album, making him one of the few actors to receive an EGOT.
In his most famous role as Darth Vader, Jones appeared in the Star Wars universe in five films; “A New Hope,” “The Empire Strikes Back,” “Return of the Jedi,” “Revenge of the Sith,” and “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Jones declined to appear in the Disney+ series “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” instead permitting Disney to recreate his voice using archival recordings and AI technology.
Jones is survived by his son, Flynn Earl Jones.
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