James Earl Jones, Voice of Darth Vader, Dies At 93

Iconic voice actor James Earl Jones died on Monday. He was 93 years old.

Jones, known for his roles as Darth Vader in Star Wars and Mufasa in The Lion King, was surrounded by family when he passed. The cause of death has not been revealed.

“From the gentle wisdom of Mufasa to the menacing threat of Darth Vader, James Earl Jones gave voice to some of the greatest characters in cinema history,” Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company Bob Iger said in a statement. “A celebrated stage actor with nearly 200 film and television credits to his name, the stories he brought to life with a uniquely commanding presence and a true richness of spirit have left an indelible mark on generations of audiences.”

Jones was born in 1931 in Mississippi. His family moved to Michigan when he was five years old, a life change that resulted in him developing a stutter. He was almost mute until he began high school, where he received the help of a poetry teacher who encouraged him to read aloud.

The actor studied drama at the University of Michigan and was an Army Ranger. He eventually moved to New York and began acting in Shakespearean stage productions. His first film, Dr. Strangelove, premiered in 1964.

Jones went on to have a prolific career in television and film. He starred in the show Roots: The Next Generation, Kevin Costner‘s Field of Dreams, The Hunt for Red October and more.

Jones was cast as the voice of Darth Vader in the mid-1970s. Despite Star Wars creator George Lucas casing another actor to play the character on-screen, he believed he needed a “darker voice” for the role, Jones once told the American Film Institute.

Jones was paid $7,000 for his contribution and was not listed in the film’s credits until the franchise grew more popular.

Almost 20 years later, Jones took on the role of Mufasa in Disney’s The Lion King. It took him some time to get the voice right, he said at the time.

“My first mistake was to try and make him regal. And what they really needed was something more like me. They said, ‘What are you like as a father? and I said, ‘Well, I’m a really dopey dad.'”

“And so they began to impose my facial expressions onto Mufasa,” he continued. “Yeah, he was authoritative, but he was just a gentle dad.”

Following his passing, there has been an outpour of love from Jones’ friends and coworkers. In a statement on Instagram, Costner referenced Jones’ “booming voice, “quiet strength” and “the kindness that he radiated.”

“So much can be said about his legacy, so I’ll just say how thankful I am that part of it includes Field of Dreams. If you’ve seen it, you know that this movie wouldn’t be the same with anyone else in the role,” Costner wrote. “Only he could bring that kind of magic to a movie about baseball and a cornfield in Iowa. I’m grateful to have been a witness to him making that magic happen.”

Jones is survived by his son, Flynn Earl Jones.