James Earl Jones: The Voice of a Mountain.

Hollywood's distinct and rich voice.

Written on September 9th, 2024. By Rami Abuhamra.

A voice that was born in Mississipi and raised in Michigan as a stutter. Despite his struggles, he became a stage actor which he played so many iconic roles. During the early to mid 60s, he rose to prominence as a Shakespearean actor in the early to mid 1960s. He played characters such as Othello and King Lear, Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Abhorson in Measure for Measure, and Claudius in Hamlet. He also made his film debut in Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)," as the youthful B-52 bombardier, Lt. Lothar Zogg. Jones went on to play a surgeon and a Haitian rebel commander in The Comedians, opposite Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, and Alec Guinness.

When it came to casting Darth Vader in George Lucas' Star Wars (1977), Lucas originally considered Orson Welles, but realized that might be too obvious. So, he opted for someone unknown at the time. Lucas casted James Earl Jones. Even with the little dialogue he had, Jones was able to create one of the most iconic film villains of all time. Jones requested Lucas not to credit him as he only saw himself as the special effects, but eventually agreed to be credited for "Return of the Jedi" and later for all the special editions. Jones also asked Lucas not to credit him for Revenge of the Sith.

Outside of Star Wars, Jones was known for other big hits like, "Coming to America (1988)," "The Hunt for Red October (1990)," "Patriot Games (1992)," "The Sandlot (1993)," "Clear and Present Danger (1994)," and "Cry, the Beloved Country (1995)."

In 1994, James Earl Jones played the role of Mufasa in the animated Disney film, "The Lion King." The voice actors were picked based on how they suit and contribute to the characters; for example, James Earl Jones was cast because the directors thought his voice was "powerful" and similar to a lion's roar. According to Jones, Mufasa "became more and more of a dopey dad instead of [a] grand king" as production progressed.

Jones married twice outside of his acting career. In 1968, Jones married Julienne Marie, an actress and singer he met while playing Othello in 1964. They had no children and divorced in 1972. He married actress Cecilia Hart in 1982, and they have a son, Flynn. Hart died on October 16, 2016, of ovarian cancer. Jones spoke publicly about his long-term health issue with type 2 diabetes for the first time in nearly 20 years in April 2016. He was diagnosed in the mid-1990s when his doctor discovered he had fallen asleep during a gym workout.

It was his voice. A voice that anyone can easily recognize. A voice that created so many iconic voices. A voice that nobody would get tired of hearing. A voice that could move mountains. A voice that left behind a legacy in all of Hollywood.

James Earl Jones, you were a legend. May you rest in peace, king. Your work was done with grace, class, and wisdom.

Thank you for everything. I never saw it coming, but I hope you're in a better place now. There will never be a man like you or a voice like yours, James.