The American actor James Earl Jones, known for lending his voice to Darth Vader and for his prolific career in both theater and film, died on Monday at the age of 93, his agents announced.
The actor made his Broadway debut in 1958 with the play “Sunrise at Campobello” at the Cort Theatre, which was renamed James Earl Jones Theatre in 2022. Between 1961 and 1964, he performed in New York in “The Blacks,” a play by Jean Genet titled “Les Nègres” in French, alongside the poet Maya Angelou.
His first role in film came with “Dr. Strangelove” by Stanley Kubrick, where he portrayed Lieutenant Zogg aboard a B-52 bomber.
His first recognition came in 1969 with his win at the Tony Awards, the awards for American theater, for his title role in the play “The Insurgents.” A critical success, the play would be adapted into a film the following year. James Earl Jones reprised the role of Jack Johnson, and his performance earned him an Oscar nomination and a win at the Golden Globes.
Iconic Voice of Darth Vader
Overall, the actor was nominated four times for the Tony Awards between 1969 and 2012, winning two, as well as a special Tony Award for his lifetime achievement in 2017. He was also honored in 2011 with an honorary Oscar.
However, his most iconic role would never see him appear on screen. George Lucas, the creator of Star Wars, chose him, after considering Orson Welles, to provide the voice for what would become the most famous villain in film history, Darth Vader.
The actor initially did not want his name to appear in the credits of the early episodes of Star Wars, believing that his work was more akin to special effects, and preferring the recognition to go to the actor behind the mask, David Prowse, according to the specialist magazine Far Out.
Among his other prominent roles is that of King Jaffe Joffer in “Coming to America,” or the villain Thulsa Doom in “Conan the Barbarian.” The comedian also voiced Mufasa in the animated film “The Lion King.”
>> Details from La Matinale: James Earl Jones, the voice of Darth Vader, was a tremendous actor / La Matinale / 1 min. / Tuesday at 06:27