James Earl Jones

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James Earl Jones

James Earl Jones, who voiced Darth Vader in the Star Wars films and built a distinguished roster of film and stage credits, earning an Oscar nomination and two Tony wins, has died. He was 93.

Jones, who passed away on Monday in New York state, was born in Mississippi in 1931 and relocated with his grandparents to Michigan state at a young age.

He overcame a stutter and went into theatre, earning a reputation early in his career for noticeable Shakespeare stage roles, among them Othello Off-Broadway in 1964.

His first film role was as the Prince of Morocco in The Merchant Of Venice alongside George C Scott. Roles followed in Dr. Strangelove and then as pioneering Black boxer Jack Johnson in The Great White Hope, for which he received his sole Oscar nomination in 1971 after reprising his Tony-winning role in 1968.

Jones starred in Roots on television in 1977 and that same year, gave voice to Darth Vader in Star Wars – A New Hope. He voiced Vader in the first trilogy, and in Rogue One and Star Wars – The Rise Of Skywalker.

Film roles included The Hunt For Red October, Coming To America, Field Of Dreams, and the voice of Musafa in The Lion King.

Jones won Tonys for The Great White Hope and Fences in 1987. He received an honorary Oscar in 2011.

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