You don’t know the power of the dark side.
Republican Rep. Mike Lawler introduced a bill Saturday that would award the Congressional Gold Medal to James Earl Jones, a voter in New York’s 17th Congressional District known for his booming voice as Darth Vader in the “Star Wars” movies. did.
“James Earl Jones broke racial barriers, served our country in the United States Army, and warmed the hearts of hundreds of millions in countless roles from the theater stage to the screen,” Lawler said. Wars Day”, also known as “May”. 4th” is a play on the series’ tagline, “May the Force Be With You.”
“While we may have disagreed about his participation in the Empire’s quest to build multiple Death Stars, I am grateful to represent him in Congress and look forward to this great honor. I look forward to awarding it to him,” joked the Hudson Valley Republican.
“Who said Darth Vader couldn’t be a good guy even temporarily?”
“As an avid history buff, I am deeply honored to receive this award, which dates back to America’s founding, but in recent years, I have learned that courage and perseverance have spread to many areas of our society, and that we are less fortunate.” “Unknown people are being valued more and more,” Jones said. He said this after receiving his highest civilian honor in 1993.
“I hope this honor highlights the importance of the performing arts to our culture and our future as a nation,” the Academy Award nominee added.
“On a more personal note, I would like to thank Congressman Lawler and his staff for initiating this honor.”
Jones honed his acting talent at the University of Michigan in the 1950s, winning a Broadway role in Shakespeare’s “Othello” and a Tony Award for his performance in August Wilson’s “Fences.”
His film debut was in the 1964 black comedy Dr. Martin. Following ‘Strange Love,’ he also starred in the cult classic ‘Coming to America,’ the Academy Award-nominated drama ‘Field of Dreams,’ and the spy thriller ‘The Hunt for Red October.’
However, as a young man, Jones suffered from a long-standing stammer and lacked confidence in his rhetorical abilities.
But with the encouragement of high school teacher Donald Crouch, he found his growling baritone voice.
“Everything I’m grateful for in life is because of this,” Jones said. smithsonian magazine In 2016, he credited Crouch with having his classmates read the poem aloud.
After a brief stint in the Army, his talent took him to New York’s American Theater Wing, where he further developed his talent.
Other fans of the galaxy far, far away series who currently serve in Congress also co-sponsored the bill at breakneck speed.
Congressman Mark Molinaro (R-New York) said, “There would be no Luke Skywalker (my favorite character) without Darth Vader, and there would be no Darth Vader without the genius James Earl Jones.” Told. “He is a true icon who deserves this recognition for his incredible acting career and commitment to breaking down racial barriers.”
The beloved actor is “the pinnacle of Black American excellence.” He blazed a trail for our community in Hollywood, delivering historic performances like Darth Vader to Mufasa in the process,” said Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.). Jones said this, referring to his role as Simba’s angry father in the movie “The Lion King.”
“The American people owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Jones for his tireless dedication to his craft, and I am proud to join my colleagues in introducing legislation to recognize his accomplishments with the Congressional Gold Medal.”
