James Earl Jones, renowned for his iconic roles as Darth Vader in *Star Wars* and Mufasa in *The Lion King*, has passed away at the age of 93.
The actor passed away on the morning of Monday, September 9, at his home in Dutchess County, New York, as confirmed by his agent to PEOPLE.
He is survived by his son, Flynn Earl Jones. His wife, Cecilia Hart, passed away in October 2016.
In addition to his iconic roles, he also starred in memorable films such as *Coming to America* (1988), *Field of Dreams* (1989), *The Sandlot* (1993), and *The Hunt for Red October* (1990).
Born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, and raised by his grandparents in Michigan, James Earl Jones spent the first eight years of his childhood unable to speak due to a severe stutter. In 2002, he shared with a congressional panel, “I stuttered badly, and so I retreated and lived in a world of silence rather than speak.” His breakthrough came with the support of a teacher who encouraged him to read his poetry aloud, helping him to overcome his speech impediment.
In his memoir, *Voices and Silences*, Jones described, “The written word is safe for the stutterer. The script is a sanctuary.”
Acting was not always his intended path. During his time at the University of Michigan, he studied pre-med and served in the Army. After deciding to pursue acting, he worked as a janitor to support himself while trying to make a name in the industry.
Though he was hesitant to label it as such, James Earl Jones's significant breakthrough came with the 1967 play *The Great White Hope*, where he portrayed Jack Jefferson. This role earned him the Tony Award for Best Actor in 1969. When the play was adapted into a film in 1970, Jones reprised his role, receiving a Golden Globe award and an Academy Award nomination for his performance. He was the second Black actor to receive an Oscar nomination, following Sidney Poitier.
**The Voice that Launched a Fan Empire**
Although British actor David Prowse physically portrayed Darth Vader in the *Star Wars* films, it was James Earl Jones who gave the character his iconic, menacing voice. Jones once shared with AFI that George Lucas wanted a "darker" voice for the 1977 film, and he was hired despite his stutter. “I lucked out with a job that paid me $7,000, which I thought was great,” Jones said. “It was fun to be part of it.”
After *Star Wars*, Jones married his second wife, Cecilia Hart, in 1982, and they had their only child, Flynn, that same year. In 1987, he won his second Tony Award for his role as Troy Maxson, a retired baseball player, in August Wilson’s *Fences*.
Jones, who saw himself as a “journeyman actor,” won two Emmy Awards in 1990—one for *Gabriel’s Fire* and another for his supporting role in *Heat Wave*. He also received several Emmy nominations for guest appearances on shows like *Everwood*, *Under One Roof*, *Picket Fences*, and *Frasier*.
In the 1990s, Jones learned he had type 2 diabetes, which he discovered "by accident" during a 2016 appearance on the Rachael Ray Show. He then launched the “I Can Imagine” campaign to help people manage their diabetes.
In recent years, Jones starred in productions like *On Golden Pond*, *Cat on a Hot Tin Roof*, and *Much Ado About Nothing*, alongside Vanessa Redgrave. In 2012, he received his fourth Tony nomination for *The Best Man*. He also returned to voice Darth Vader for the animated series *Star Wars: Rebels* and the film *Rogue One: A Star Wars Story*.
In 2019, Jones reprised his role as Mufasa in the live-action *The Lion King*, alongside Beyoncé and Donald Glover.
Jones’s career spanned over 50 years because of his passion for acting. “I want to play roles that help me learn about people who are different from me,” he once told PEOPLE. “I want to express how I feel about myself—my true self, not just my Black or American self.
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