James Earl Jones, Star Wars Icon, Dead At 93

In 1977, James Earl Jones would rocket to stardom in the science fiction and cinematic world with his otherworldly performance as Darth Vader in George Lucas’ Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope.

His deep, reverberant voice sent chills down the spines of audiences everywhere, making the masked villain truly come alive. So much so that his delivery of the I am your father” line in The Empire Strikes Back is engrained in the brains of every Star Wars fan that has ever lived.

James Earl Jones was born on January 17, 1937, in Arkabutla, Mississippi. His father left the picture shortly after his birth, and at just five years old, he was brought to live with his maternal grandparents.

Due to the effects of experiencing such a tumultuous home life at a young age, he soon developed a significant stutter. Later in his career, he said that it was through the pursuit of acting and poetry in his youth that he eventually gained self-confidence and overcame the impediment.

He began pursuing acting professionally after serving in the Korean War, making his Broadway debut in 1957. He would go on to win his first Tony Award in 1968 and his second in 1987. With the inclusion of many subsequent nominations throughout his impressive career, he was awarded the Tony Award’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017 and received honorary EGOT status in 2018.

In his life, James Earl Jones also involved himself in philanthropy. He provided significant support to various charities and foundations like the African Caribbean Leukaemia Trust, Make-A-Wish Foundation, To Write Love on Her Arms, and BID 2 BEAT AIDS, just to name a few.

In his community, he would show up to personally congratulate graduates from his local vocational program, tell campfire stories to children with HIV at Camp Viva, and perform excerpts of his previous works at his son’s high school to raise money.

In a 1999 interview with the New York Times, James Earl Jones spoke about this dedication to his community. “Most actors come into this region to hide, and God bless ’em, they should,” he tells the reporter. ”They have that right. But I do what I can and I do it locally, and I do it because it is the world my son is growing up in.”

He never thought of himself as giving back to his community; he saw himself as taking care of his own.

James Earl Jones leaves behind his son Flynn Earl Jones, whom he raised with his now-deceased wife, Cecilia Hart. Along with this, he also leaves behind hundreds of thousands of fans whose childhoods were spent hearing his iconic voice. Forever may he rest in peace in that beautiful galaxy far, far away.