Tributes have been pouring in for veteran Hollywood Actor James Earl Jones, who has died at the age of 93.
He died early yesterday morning surrounded by his family.
Jones starred in dozens of films including Field of Dreams, Coming To America, Conan the Barbarian, The Lion King and Star Wars.
Mark Hamill, who played Darth Vader’s son Luke Skywalker, posted “RIP Dad” with a broken heart emoji as he shared a news report of Jones’ death.
During an interview with Conan O’Brien in 1995, Jones recalled how he got the role of Darth Vader, and revealed it only took a couple of hours to record the lines for the first movie.
Star Wars creator and director George Lucas also paid tribute to the screen legend, saying he was an incredible actor, a most unique voice both in art and spirit.
‘For nearly half a century he was Darth Vader, but the secret to it all is he was a beautiful human being. He gave depth, sincerity and meaning to all his roles, amongst the most important being a devoted husband to the late Ceci and dad to Flynn.
James will be missed by so many of us…friends and fans alike.’
The CEO of Disney Bob Iger says Jones gave voice to some of the greatest characters in cinema history.
‘From the gentle wisdom of Mufasa to the menacing threat of Darth Vader, James Earl Jones gave voice to some of the greatest characters in cinema history. 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. On behalf of all of us at Disney, we extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones.’
South African film producer Anant Singh has expressed his sadness at the passing of Jones, calling him a trail blazer and an inspiration.
Singh produced ‘Cry, the Beloved Country’ in which Jones played the lead role of Reverand Stephen Khumalo opposite Richard Harris.
‘His amazing talent and powerful performances were extraordinary, especially as he overcame a stuttering speech disorder. He used his remarkable memory to its full potential and conquered this impediment, leading to his voice becoming among the most recognizable in the world. James was a consummate professional who excelled on both stage and screen, and always remained humble and true to his roots.’
Jones was born in Mississippi in 1931 and famously had a stutter as a child. As he rose to fame he said poetry and acting helped him overcome his stutter.
He was one of the few performers to achieve the EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony), and was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1985.
He was honoured with the National Medal of Arts in 1992, the Kennedy Center Honor in 2002, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award in 2009, and the Honorary Academy Award in 2011.
