THE HEAVY BREATHING and the deep baritone voice of Darth Vader would forever be remembered in film history, and we couldn't contain our surprise to hear the iconic sci-fi villain say, 'No, I am your father!'
Sadly though, James Earl Jones, the actor behind sci-fi's most legendary antagonist has passed away at the age of 93.
While many would associate him as Darth Vader, he has also been involved in other prominents roles such as Mufasa in Disney's The Lion King. He has even portrayed African American revolutionaries Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.
In his entire acting career, Jones has received numerous honors and accolades. He was inducted in the American Theater Hall of Fame back in 1985 and he has garnered two Primetime Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, a Grammy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and an Academy Honorary Award.
In securing these awards, Jones delivered his best performances for films and TV shows like The Great White Hope, Heat Wave, and Gabriel's Fire.
Honoring James Earl Jones
As news of his death was announced, many figures in the industry have honored Jones. George Lucas, the director of Star Wars said: “James was an incredible actor, a most unique voice both in art and spirit,” says George Lucas.
“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.”
It was also revealed that Jones wasn't the first option to be the voice of Darth Vader. In a lengthy post, Star Wars' official website posted: "While Jones has what many would agree is one of the most recognizable voices of all time and has helped to make Darth Vader a cinema legend, he was actually not Lucas’ first choice for the voice role."
“The rumor is that he thought of Orson Welles,” recalled Jones. “And then probably thought that Orson might be too recognizable, so what he ends up picking is a voice that was born in Mississippi, raised in Michigan, and was a stutterer. And, that happened to be my voice.”
In the end the website paid homage to Jones saying: "For all us at Lucasfilm, and for countless members of the audience, James Earl Jones was far more than “just an observer.” He was the voice of the character at the center of our most beloved story, and he will remain in our hearts – and imaginations – forever."
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