On September 9, 2024, influential entertainer James Earl Jones died at the age of 93 after two years of fighting diabetes. James Earl Jones is an actor who, even in death, will live on in our hearts. We celebrate his accomplishments and honor his legacy. We say goodbye to Mufasa and Darth Vader, but we will continue to hear him for generations to come.
The Lion King
Most of us first heard James Earl Jones in childhood when we watched The Lion King. Jones voiced Mufasa in The Lion King franchise.
- The Lion King (1994 and 2019)
- The Lion King 2 – Simba’s Pride (1998)
- The Lion Guard (2016-2019)
The Lion King was one of those iconic Disney movies that made our childhood with the emotional aspect of Mufasa’s sacrifice, the vital life lessons from Rafiki, and hope. Mufasa, like Bambi’s mom, forever lived in our hearts. Jones will forever remain in our hearts. Even though Mufasa died in the movie, he still lived on in Jones for 30 years. But now that he is officially gone, he will have to continue in our hearts.
Jones was a part of one of the most influential Disney films of all time. The Lion King taught us about self-forgiveness and moving on from the past. The one scene I remember the most is when Rafiki hits Simba over the head with his stick and tells him, “It doesn’t matter. It’s in the past. The past can hurt, but the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.”
“We are all connected by the circle of life.” – Mufasa
Star Wars
Star Wars revolutionized filmmaking with technological advancements and has survived three generations (Gen X, Millennial, and Gen Z). Jones was a part of this revolution. He is the voice behind Darth Vader—the controversial antihero and father of Luke and Leia. He voiced Darth Vader in three of the movies in the Star Wars franchise.
- Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977)
- The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- Return of the Jedi (1983)
Jones was a part of the revolution that came with this movie. The advancements in technology when creating a movie: reviving the sci-fi genre, using special effects in film, advancements in camera usage, and computer-generated imagery.
“This will be a day long remembered. It has seen the end of Kenobi. It will soon see the end of the Rebellion” – Darth Vader
Awards
Jones had many accomplishments in the entertainment industry. According to his IMDb credits, he was nominated for and won both mainstream and uncommon awards. Jones had 31 award nominations and 31 wins.
Mainstream Awards
- Honorary Academy Awards (2012)
- “Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Special” Daytime Emmy Awards for CBS Schoolbreak Special (2000)
- “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series” Primetime Emmy Award for Gabriel’s Fire (1991)
- “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special” Primetime Emmy Awards for Heat Wave (1991)
- “Most Promising Newcomer – Male” Golden Globes for The Great White Hope (1971)
- “Best Spoken Word Recording” Grammy Award for Great American Documents (1977)
- Kennedy Center Honors (2002)
- “Outstanding Character Voice-Over Performance” NAACP Image Award for The Lion King (2020)
- “Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, Mini-Series or Television Movie” NAACP Image Award for Gabriel’s Fire (1993)
- “Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture” NAACP Image Award for Claudine (1975)
- “Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre” Tony Award (2017)
Gifts
In life, Jones did not just entertain us with his booming, deep voice and make entertainment history; he also supported many different charities and foundations. He continuously gave back to the community and supported social advancement. Jones paved the way for black actors in the entertainment world and opened doors for them that were previously closed.
He remained humble about his past struggles, such as his history of stuttering. But he persevered and continued to be a strong role model for children, not just in his characters, but in his real life.
Charities and Foundations
James Earl Jones was a part of many foundations and charities.
- African Caribbean Leukemia Trust
- BID 2 BEAT AIDS
- Habitat For Humanity
- Luke Neuhedal Foundation
- Make-A-Wish Foundation
- MedicAlert Foundation
- Screen Actors Guide Foundation
- To Write Love on Her Arms
Supported Causes
Jones also contributed to and supported many causes.
- Addiction
- AIDS/HIV
- Blood
- Marrow & Organ Donation
- Cancer
- Children
- Creative Arts
- Depression and Suicide
- Disaster Relief
- Family/Parent Support
- Health
- Homelessness
- Substance Abuse
Final Gift
The final gift Jones gave to his fanbase was his voice. Before he passed, he signed the rights of his voice to an AI company, Respeecher, so that Darth Vader would outlive him. Jones was most known for his unique booming baritone voice, as we heard in Mufasa and Darth Vader, and we wanted his characters to continue to live. He will continue to be prevalent in future generations’ lives, not only with past movies, but also with future ones. We will be able to hear his voice until the end of time.
Legacy
James Earl Jones has touched our lives in his many acting performances on stage and in front of the camera. He broke through barriers and paved the way for those who came before and will come after him. He did this not only by overcoming his past, but also by continuing to work hard to win mainstream, uncommon, and lifetime achievement awards for his roles and hard work.
Jones’ voice-over parts as Mufasa in The Lion King and Darth Vader in Star Wars touched our hearts and ears. Without even realizing it as children, we learned a lot from his parts and these movies: self-discovery, letting go of the past, forgiving ourselves, and having hope for the future. His voice was so endearing that future generations will have the opportunity to hear it, not just by watching past movies, but also in the future, where his characters will continue to live on.
His contributions to the community are also greatly recognized by his appearances and contributions to many causes and foundations. He not only symbolically pioneered the generations following him, but also physically contributed by telling his story of his past struggles of having a speech impediment and donating to important causes across the country.
With that, I will say goodbye to this iconic actor and remember all the lessons he taught me through the TV screen. I will leave you with this final quote…
“Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance.” – Mufasa
R.I.P James Earl Jones (1931-2024).
