It was 1994. Many of us were still under the age of 10. A parent would slide a chunky black videotape into the VCR we had at home, and as a very regular after-school treat, The Lion King would burst to life on the thickset, pre-flat screen TV. Even at such a tender age, one character from the movie stood out as a beacon of admiration and reverence: Mufasa.
And Mufasa fostered that sense of love, belonging, warmth, and righteousness across generations. Such was the power of James Earl Jones, the actor who did all the above with his deep, unmistakable baritone voiceover of the character. Done so flawlessly, it would have been criminal had he not reprised the role for its 1998 sequel, and subsequent 2019 remake.
But Jones didn’t just belong to the ’90s and our cherished memories of that era—he was a master actor and global icon long before. By the ’70s, he had already cemented his cult status by voicing the super villain, Darth Vader, in the original Star Wars trilogy—a role for which he is perhaps most celebrated.
As a youth, Jones overcame a stutter to become a pioneering African American actor with a fantastic and meaningful career spanning over 60 illustrious years and a remarkable filmography featuring 80 credits. His journey began with a 1958 Broadway debut at the Cort Theatre—now the James Earl Jones Theatre—and continued through his recent appearance in Coming 2 America (2021), where he reprised his iconic role as King Jaffe Joffer from the 1988 classic Coming to America alongside comedian Eddie Murphy. He also brought gravitas to his role as CIA Deputy Director Vice Admiral James Greer in three Jack Ryan films: The Hunt for Red October (1990), Patriot Games (1992), and Clear and Present Danger (1994).
As decades rolled by, Jones won a Grammy in 1977 for Best Spoken Word Album, received four Tony Award nominations, winning two; earned eight Primetime Emmy nominations, securing back-to-back victories in 1991; and was awarded a Kennedy Center Honor in 2002. His achievements also include the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2009, an honorary Oscar in 2011; and Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2017, placing him among a select group of actors who have achieved the elusive EGOT status.
What a life! What a career… To be in possession of a voice so unmistakable that it resonates distinctively in any corner of the globe that you hear it. One thing is clear: actors of James Earl Jones’ caliber — wise, humble and larger than life — come by but occasionally. Their legacies endure as cherished gifts to the world, and with the passing of this legendary man at 93, we mark the end of an era.
Though his iconic line, “I am your father,” from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back might be his most famous, in many ways, that’s exactly the figure Jones invariably wound up being to millions around the world.
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James Earl Jones | The Lion King | Darth Vader | Mufasa | Star Wars | Obituary | Tribute