James Earl Jones, Voice of Darth Vader and Mufasa, Dead at 93

Barry McPherson, Jones’ longtime agent confirmed the news in obituary sent to TMZ Monday, in which he confirmed that the longtime actor passed away this morning at his home in Dutchess County, New York, where he was surrounded by his family. He was 93 years old.

The EGOT winner was a star of both the screen and stage, earning an Oscar nomination for his role in The Great White Hope in 1970, and was given an honorary Oscar at the 2012 ceremony.

He is a two-time Emmy winner and 8-time Emmy nominee, winning both his Emmy Awards in 1991 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama series for his role in Gabriel’s Fire and for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special for his role in Heat Wave.

Jones received four Tony Award nominations for Best Actor in a Play winning twice for his performances as Jack Jefferson in The Great White Hope in 1969 and as Troy Maxson in August Wilson’s Fences in 1987. In 2017 he received a Special Tony Award at the 71st Tony Awards.

While his credits include The Simpsons and the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as standout films like 1964’s Dr. Strangelove, Conan the Barbarian in 1982, Coming to America in 1988, 1989’s Field of Dreams and The Sandlot in the year to follow, Jones was best known for his distinctive and commanding voice.

In addition to serving as a trusted contributor for CNN, that voice earned Jones three Grammy Award nominations and one win in the Best Spoken Word category.

Following the shocking news, several stars paid tribute to Jones, including Jones’ Star Wars‘ co-star, Mark Hamill, who played Vader’s son, Luke Skywalker, in the long-running saga.

“#RIP dad 💔,” Hamill wrote upon hearing the news. On Instagram, he added, “One of the world’s finest actors whose contributions to Star Wars were immeasurable. He’ll be greatly missed.”

Colman Domingo also weighed in, writing, “Thank you dear James Earl Jones for everything. A master of our craft. We stand on your shoulders. Rest now. You gave us your best,” as well as O’Shea Jackson, who shared a simple message for Jones that read: “Lord Vader. Rest in Peace.”

Ava DuVernay also paid tribute on her Instagram Story, writing, “Thank you for showing us ourselves. Our complicated selves, our dignified selves, our smiles our pain. A job well done. A gift beautifully shared. Bless you as you journey on”

She also recommended fans watch Jones in the 1974 film Claudine.

“If you’ve never seen Claudine, give yourself a gift. One of my favorite films. James Earl Jones is perfect. Diahann Carrol is wonderful. Together, these legends are magic,” she wrote. “Find it and enjoy this gorgeous love story about real people and real things. Mr. Jones crying in a scene of this film is one of the most exquisite cinematic images of a Black man I’ve ever seen. Don’t miss it. He gave us so much.”

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