James Earl Jones became a Disney Legend in 2019On Monday, September 9, actor James Earl Jones passed away. He was 93. I can’t think of a more recognized voice or a more versatile actor. Even at 93, he’s gone too soon.
Most Disney fans have a reason to admire James Earl Jones. For many, the name immediately brings up memories of The Lion King. I remember watching with my daughter when she was the target age. Mufasa’s voice was filled with wisdom and love.
Of course, I can’t mention James Earl Jones without saying something about Darth Vader. In my opinion, he’s the greatest villain of all time, and James Earl Jones commanded the role! We later learned that Darth Vader was conflicted, and Jones flawlessly added the confusion to the role. The (often misquoted) line where we learned that Darth Vader was Luke’s father is one of the best lines in the history of cinema. Even people who aren’t Star Wars fans were taken by surprise.
While these might be two of his most famous roles, they’re just the tip of the iceberg. He has almost 200 acting credits on IMDB! From Roots to Coming to America, I don’t think there was a genre that Jones couldn’t pull off!
James Earl Jones was well respected, both professionally and on a personal level. He won plenty of awards, and became a Disney Legend in 2019. I’ve never heard anyone say an unkind word about him.
Rest in peace, James Earl Jones. And thank you for decades of memories.