James Earl Jones, the legendary actor with a world-renowned baritone voice who appeared in numerous films and plays and who will forever be known as the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars films, has passed away, according to multiple reports. He was 93 years old.
Jones died Monday at his home in Dutchess County, New York.
From his Oscar-nominated performance as a sympathetic boxer in The Great White Hope, to his memorable performance opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in Conan the Barbarian, to his Emmy-winning role in the ABC crime drama series Gabriel's Fire, Jones is a versatile star whose presence always towered over any production.
His many roles in films as diverse as Dr. Strangelove, The Hunt for Red October, Amadeus and Field of Dreams demonstrate his incredible range of talent, allowing him to continue working well into his 80s.
Though he's made a lavish living as the voice of Darth Vader and Mustafa in Disney's The Lion King (he's also worked as a voice actor for CNN), Jones is first and foremost a stage actor, appearing on stage many times throughout his career.
Jones's rise to fame in theatrical circles was largely due to Joseph Papp, who cast him in several Shakespearean roles at the New York Shakespeare Festival, including King Lear, Othello, and Claudius in Hamlet.
He won a Tony Award for his Broadway premiere in The Great White Hope and a second Tony for his role as Troy Maxson in August Wilson's Fences.
Jones enjoyed a comeback in his later years with a series of acclaimed stage performances, including a revival of Driving Miss Daisy with Vanessa Redgrave in 2010 and a production of Gore Vidal's The Best Man in 2012.
But it's Darth Vader that Jones has reprised most frequently. In 2016's Rogue One, Jones brought menace and authority to the fallen Jedi, and his crystal clear enunciation, combined with the character's robotic breathing, made him one of the most memorable movie villains of all time.
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