James Earl Jones, the legendary actor celebrated for his powerful voice as Darth Vader in Star Wars, Mufasa in The Lion King and numerous iconic roles across film, television, and Broadway, has died at 93. He passed away this morning at his home in Dutchess County, New York. The news was confirmed by his representatives at Independent Artist Group to Deadline.
Regarded as one of the greatest stage and screen actors, Jones was one of the rare talents to achieve the coveted EGOT status—having won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award. Throughout his illustrious career, Jones won two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Daytime Emmy, a Grammy for spoken word, and three Tony Awards. He was also honored with an honorary Academy Award in 2012 for his exceptional contribution to the arts.
Jones’ film career began with Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964). However, he is perhaps best known for his iconic voice role as Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy. He reprised the role in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016). Beyond Star Wars, Jones also voiced Mufasa in both the 1994 animated classic The Lion King and its 2019 live-action adaptation, as well as providing his signature voice for CNN’s “This is CNN” campaign.
Born on January 17, 1931, in Arkabutla, Mississippi, Jones’s extensive filmography includes unforgettable roles in Conan the Barbarian (1982), Coming to America (1988), The Hunt for Red October (1990), The Sandlot (1990), Patriot Games (1992), and Sneakers (1992). He also made memorable appearances on The Simpsons.
Jones earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for his role in The Great White Hope (1971). His notable achievements on television include winning two Emmy Awards in 1991 for Gabriel’s Fire and Heat Wave. On Broadway, he won two Tony Awards for his performances in The Great White Hope (1969) and August Wilson’s Fences (1987) and received a Special Tony Award in 2017.
In recognition of his contributions to theater, the Shubert Organization renamed its historic Cort Theatre as The James Earl Jones Theatre in 2022. During the dedication, Broadway director Kenny Leon praised Jones, saying, “You can’t think of an artist that has served America more.” Though Jones was unable to attend the ceremony, he was given a private tour beforehand.
Throughout his career, Jones was honored with numerous awards, including a 2002 Kennedy Center Honor and Lifetime Achievement Awards from SAG-AFTRA (2009) and the National Board of Review (1995).
