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James Earl Jones’ acting colleagues and staff mourn the loss of the actor who died at the age of 93


James Earl Jones’ acting colleagues and staff mourn the loss of the actor who died at the age of 93

Hollywood is in mourning following the news of the death of James Earl Jones at the age of 93.

Jones, the iconic voice actor behind legendary film characters such as star Wars” Darth Vader and The Lion King‘s Mufasa, died Monday, Sept. 9, at his home in Dutchess County, New York, his agent confirmed to PEOPLE.

As news of Jones’ death spread on the Internet, Several celebrities – those who worked with him and those who admired his work – mourned the late actor on social media. Mark Hamill, who portrayed Luke Skywalker in addition to Jones’ voice role as Darth Vader, was quick to share a simple message via X with a broken heart emoji: “#RIP dad 💔,” he wrote.

Hamill, 72, then shared an Instagram photo of himself hugging Jones and wrote: “One of the world’s greatest actors whose contribution to Star Wars was immeasurable. He will be greatly missed. #RIP Dad 💔”

James Earl Jones on November 12, 2011.
Dave M. Benett/Getty Images

In The Empire Strikes BackVader revealed that he was Skywalker’s father, Anakin, with the famous phrase “I am your father.”

Rob Minkoff, Co-Director of The Lion Kingwrote: “I was lucky enough to work with him. His portrayal of Mufasa was perfect. What a powerful man and actor. He is gone but will never be forgotten. Rest in peace.”

“From the gentle wisdom of Mufasa to the menacing threat of Darth Vader, James Earl Jones has voiced some of the greatest characters in film history. An acclaimed stage actor with nearly 200 film and television credits, he has brought to life stories that have left an indelible mark on generations of audiences with his uniquely commanding presence and true wealth of spirit,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement. Disney has acquired the rights to star Wars in 2012 after the purchase of Lucasfilm.

Kevin Costner paid tribute to his Field of Dreams Co-star posted on Instagram: “That booming voice. That quiet strength. The kindness he radiated. There is so much to say about his legacy, so I’ll just say how grateful I am that Field of Dreams is a part of it.”

LeVar Burton also posted on X and shared a short post when the news broke, writing, “There will never be another with his special combination of grace.” Jones starred in the spin-off series Roots: The next generations.

“RIP to a King,” Prime Video shared on X, next to a photo of Jones in Coming to America 2.

Josh Gad shared an undated photo of himself, Nikki M. James and Andrew Rannells posing with Jones on Instagram and wrote that he was “devastated” by Jones’ death. “For so many of us, you shaped our childhoods with star Wars To Lion Kingout of Field of Dreams To The Sandlot, from Coming to America To Dr. Strangelovewrote Gad. “Thank you, James, for dedicating your life to the arts and filling our lives with some of the best performances ever. It was an honor to know you and an even greater honor to perform in a theater with your namesake.”

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Colman Domingo uploaded a photo of the young Jones to X and wrote: “Thank you dear James Earl Jones for everything. A master of our craft. We stand on your shoulders. Now rest. You gave us your best.”

“Legendary doesn’t even begin to describe his iconic roles and his impact on cinema forever. His voice and talent will always be remembered. Sending love to his family, friends and countless fans in every galaxie, far, far away,” actor Octavia Spencer added on Instagram.

James Earl Jones on June 11, 2017.

John Paul Filo/CBS via Getty


Jones was famously hired as the voice star Wars villain Darth Vader compared to using the voice of actor David Prowse, who physically embodied the character in his suit on screen, for the original 1977 film in the series. He voiced Vader for decades in a number of media, including more recent releases such as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), The Rise of Skywalker (2019) and the miniseries Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022).

He gave up his voice for the character in 2022 and reportedly gave Disney permission to use digital recreations of his voice for future appearances of Darth Vader.

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