Celebrity News September 09, 2024
James Earl Jones: Screen Legend & Voice of Darth Vader Dead at 93
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James Earl Jones, the legendary actor who voiced Darth Vader, has died at 93.
His reps confirmed in a statement he “passed away this morning at his home in Dutchess County, New York, surrounded by family.”
Aside from his work in the “Star Wars” franchise, Jones was also known for his voice work as Mufasa in “The Lion King” in 1994 and the live action remake in 2019, as well as “The Simpsons.”
When it came to film, James was known for movies like “Dr. Strangelove” (1964), “Conan the Barbarian” (1982), “Coming to America” (1988), “Field of Dreams” (1989), “The Hunt for Red October” (1990), “The Sandlot” (1990), and many more.
Jones’ work in “The Great White Hope” (1970) earned him an Oscar nomination, and he went on to receive his honorary award in 2012.
His projects on the small screen also garnered praise with eight Emmy nominations, including wins for “Gabriel’s Fire” and “Heat Wave” in 1991.
James was also a Broadway star with four Tony noms, and two wins for “The Great White Hope” (1969) and “Fences” (1987). The actor was awarded a special Tony Award in 2017.
Other accolades include a Kennedy Center Honor in 2002, and lifetime achievement awards from the Screen Actors Guild in 2009 and National Board of Review in 1995.
His distinguished voice earned him three Grammy nominations and an award for Best Spoken Word in 2001 for “The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey.”
Jones was a rare EGOT winner, with two Emmys, a Grammy, three Tony Awards, and an honorary Oscar.
He was preceded in death by his wife Cecilia Hart, whom he was married to from 1982 to 2016. They had one son, Flynn Earl Jones.
James was previously married to Julienne Marie from 1968 to 1972.
