James Earl Jones has passed away at age 93. He was accomplished as an actor in film, TV and theater with his larger than life demeanour and baritone voice — iconically portraying ‘Star Wars’ villain Darth Vader.

Jones passed Monday morning at his home in Dutchess County, N.Y.

Jones’ career spanned over 60 years, paving the way for a generation of inspired black actors. Jones also overcame a stutter that troubled him from an early age. The actor debut on Broadway in 1958 at the Cort Theatre (now renamed the James Earl Jones Theatre in 2022). His last film and performance was in 2021’s ‘Coming 2 America,’ reprising his role as King Jaffe Joffer from the original 1988 ‘Coming to America.’ He made his first film appearance in 1964 in Stanley Kubrick’s ‘Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.’

The actor also iconically played Mufasa in ‘The Lion King’ from 1994.

Other credits include ‘The Man,’ ‘Conan the Barbarian,’ ‘Field of Dreams,’ ‘The Sandlot,’ and ‘Cry, the Beloved Country.’

With his powerful performance as the proud but conflicted boxer Jack Jefferson in ‘The Great White Hope’ (1970), Jones received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. The actor also received Kennedy Center Honor in 2002, the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement award in 2009, an honorary Oscar in 2011 and a lifetime achievement Tony Award in 2017.

His Grammy award in 1977 for spoken word album makes Jones join an exclusive club of those who have earned EGOT status.

James Earl Jones is the voice of a generation, and for all-time artistry.

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