HOUSTON, US: James Earl Jones, the legendary voice behind one of cinema’s most iconic villains, Darth Vader from Star Wars, passed away on Monday at the age of 93, as confirmed by his representatives at Independent Artist Group.

Jones achieved international fame in 1977 for lending his powerful voice to Darth Vader in Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope and went on to reprise the role in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi.

In addition to voicing Darth Vader, Jones also brought life to the character of Mufasa in Disney's 1994 animated classic The Lion King, as well as its 2019 live-action remake.

September 9, 2024

On-screen, Jones portrayed King Jaffe Joffer in Eddie Murphy’s 1988 comedy Coming to America, a role he returned to for the 2021 sequel Coming 2 America. He also starred in the beloved baseball film Field of Dreams (1989), playing Terence Mann, who encourages Kevin Costner's character, Ray Kinsella, to keep his farm, saying the memorable line, "People will come, Ray."

Over his extensive career, Jones amassed more than 80 film credits, along with numerous performances on Broadway and television appearances, including guest roles on The Simpsons, Frasier, and Law & Order.

He garnered multiple prestigious awards, including Emmy and Tony Awards, a Grammy, and an honorary Oscar, making him one of the rare individuals to achieve EGOT status, having won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony.