James Earl Jones, legendary voice and theater actor, dead at 93

James Earl Jones, the legendary actor best known for his blockbuster voice acting roles and work in theater, has died in New York at age 93.

His death on Sept. 9 was first reported by Deadline, which noted that his representatives at Independent Artist Group confirmed the news.

“He passed this morning surrounded by his loved ones,” his agent Barry McPherson said in a statement. “He was a great man.”

The African-American silver screen stalwart was born in 1931 in Mississippi, to Ruth and Robert Earl Jones, the latter of whom found success in acting after leaving the family to work in New York. James was raised by his grandparents in Michigan.

Jones attended the University of Michigan, where he graduated in 1955 with a degree in drama, and entered the military in 1953 after the Korean War. Though he never saw combat, he noted that his distaste for violence dovetailed with his conversion to the Catholic faith while on active duty.

“The only thing I had that was not geared toward the art of killing was the Catholic Church, to which I had converted in the Army, and the complete work of Shakespeare,” he told The New York Times in 1987.

Following his discharge, Jones followed in his father’s footsteps to New York, studying theater before acting in small productions in his home state. He was recruited to Broadway in 1957, taking his first featured role the next year.

He quickly became an established member of the growing Shakespeare scene in the United States, reprising an early role as “Othello” and also starring in adaptations of “King Lear,” “Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and “Hamlet.” 

Jones received his first major honor in 1968, when he won a Tony Award for his original role in “The Great White Hope,” as the ill-fated fictional Black boxer Jack Jefferson. He would later reprise the role in a 1970 film adaptation, earning Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations.

In 1977, Jones took on perhaps his most well-known role, as the voice of Darth Vader in George Lucas’ “Star Wars” series—a role he would reprise over the next four decades. He received a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word album the same year.

He returned to theater in 1978, later originating the lead character Troy Maxson in the 1985 August Wilson play “Fences,” for which Jones received his second Tony. He saw continued success throughout the decade, playing supporting roles in “Conan the Barbarian” (1982), “Coming to America” (1988), and “Field of Dreams” (1989).

Jones again saw international success as a voice actor in the 1990s, when he starred as Mufasa in the landmark 1994 Disney film “The Lion King.” He also became the first actor to win two Primetime Emmys in the same year, when he was awarded in 1991 for Best Actor in “Gabriel’s Fire” and Best Supporting Actor for “Heat Wave.”

At the end of his nearly seven-decade career, Jones reprised several of his early and most iconic roles in sequels and remakes during the 21st century, including the latest iterations of the “Star Wars” film franchise, “The Lion King” (2019), and “Coming 2 America” (2021). He retired from acting in 2022.

“A celebrated stage actor with nearly 200 film and television credits to his name, the stories he brought to life with a uniquely commanding presence and a true richness of spirit have left an indelible mark on generations of audiences,” said Disney CEO Bob Iger.

“On behalf of all of us at Disney, we extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.”

The former Cort Theatre in New York, where Jones made his big-stage debut, was renamed in his honor two years ago this week—a Black first on Broadway and part of a wave of rechristenings to honor African-American contributions to theater and performing arts.

He was unable to attend that event, and no cause of death was publicized for Jones, who in 2016 revealed his struggle with type 2 diabetes. He was first diagnosed with the disease in his sixties.

Jones is predeceased by his second wife, Cecilia Hart, who died in 2016. He is survived by his first wife, Julienne Marie, and by a son, Flynn Earl Jones.

Funeral arrangements were pending as of Monday afternoon.

Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.

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