James Earl Jones, Voice Of Darth Vader In 'Star Wars', Dies Aged 93
Hollywood actor James Earl Jones, known for his voice as Darth Vader, has died aged 93.
Hollywood actor James Earl Jones, known for his voice as Darth Vader, has died aged 93. As per Variety, the actor's representative confirmed the development, saying Jones passed away on Monday morning at his home in New York’s Hudson Valley. The cause of death has not been confirmed yet. For the unversed, Jones had a long and successful career. It is important to mention that he was one of the first African American actors to gain recognition on daytime television with his role on 'As the World Turns”' in 1965.
Over the years, he won several awards, including two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts, and the Kennedy Center Honors. In 2022, a Broadway theatre was also renamed in his honour.
For his most famous role, Jones was paid USD 7,000 to lend his voice to Darth Vader in 1977's 'Star Wars: A New Hope'. As per Variety, Jones declined screen credit for that film and its sequel, 1980’s 'The Empire Strikes Back', out of deference to the actor who played the role on screen, David Prowse.
However, by 1983's 'Return of the Jedi', Jones became fully synonymous with one of the most memorable and terrifying villains in cinema history, and received credit for his work. He then returned to Vader’s voice again in 2005’s 'Episode III — Revenge of the Sith' and 2016’s 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'.
His notable works include 'The Lion King' in 1994, the 1998 direct-to-video sequel and the 2019 remake. His other works include 'The Man', 'Conan The Barbarian', 'Field of Dreams', 'The Sandlot', 'Cry, The Beloved Country'.
As per Variety, he was also nominated for eight primetime Emmy awards, winning twice in 1991, for supporting actor in the miniseries 'Heat Wave', and for lead actor in the drama series 'Gabriel’s Fire'.
This was the first time an actor won two Emmys in the same year.
Jones' television credits includes 'Roots', 'The Atalanta Child Murders', 'LA Law', 'Homicide: Life on the Street', and 'Everwood'. He was also seen in guest roles in shows like 'The Simpsons', 'Law & Order', 'Fences' and 'House'.
