Yesterday, at 93 years old, legendary actor James Earl Jones passed away in his New York home. Known best for lending his voice as Darth Vader in the Star Wars series or Mufasa in The Lion King, Jones did so much more throughout his life.
In his early days, Jones faced a lot of adversity before his climb to the stage. He grew up not having a relationship with his father through his adolescence. He also had a severe stuttering problem that made him not want to speak in his classes, according to the Stuttering Foundation.
James Earl Jones started acting in the 1950s
Time progressed, and by the time he was a college student, he initially started the pre-med track at the University of Michigan. However, he realized that acting was something he wanted to pursue after overcoming his speech issues, leading to him graduating with a major in drama.
After a stint in the military and studying at the American Theater Wing, Jones officially began his acting career at the Ramsdell Theater in Manistee, Michigan. From there, Jones would act in various plays while being widely regarded as one of the best Shakespearean actors of the time.
In 1977, Jones's popularity would reach new heights when he joined the Star Wars cast as the iconic voice of Darth Vader. He played the role for two additional films and will best be known for his "I am your father" line in The Empire Strikes Back, which still brings a smile to Star Wars fans to this day.
Jones achieved the rare EGOT during his lifetime
With his career officially taken off at that point, Jones would see many performances during the 80s and 90s. He would have key roles in Conan The Barbarian, Coming to America, Field of Dreams, and another iconic voice acting performance in The Lion King. He also starred in the play Fences, which earned him his second Tony Award.
Overall, his versatility is something that will always be remembered about him. From his iconic moments with his voice or on-screen, he was a trailblazer for future African American actors while also achieving an EGOT.
Today, we light our lightsabers red while honoring the incredible actor and person James Earl Jones.