James Earl Jones dies at 93: 'Star Wars' actor, devout Catholic called narrating the Bible his 'greatest honor'
The late James Earl Jones, who voiced the characters of Darth Vader in "Star Wars" and Mufasa in "The Lion King," was a devout Catholic who once said that narrating the New Testament was the "greatest honor" of his life.
Jones died on Monday morning at his home in Dutchess County, New York, surrounded by his family, according to his agent Barry McPherson. He was 93 years old.
Over his storied career, Jones won three Tony Awards, including a lifetime honor in 2017, two Emmys and a Grammy. He was recognized for lifetime achievement by the Academy Awards in 2011.
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Jones was best known for voicing Darth Vader in George Lucas' 1977 space epic "Star Wars." He reprised his role in the sequels "The Empire Strikes Back" in 1980 and again in "Return of the Jedi" in 1983.
In addition to his success in theater and film, the actor had a strong presence on television. He starred in a variety of TV roles, including the series "Gabriel’s Fire" (1990-1991) and "Under One Roof" (1995). He also appeared in guest spots on popular TV sitcoms such as "Frasier," "Will & Grace" and "The Big Bang Theory." In 1991, he made history by becoming the second African American actor to win an Academy Honorary Award.
Born on Jan. 17, 1931, in Arkabutla, Mississippi, Jones struggled with a severe stutter as a child, which led him to remain virtually mute for several years. However, through the support of a teacher and participation in poetry reading, he overcame his speech impediment, and this became the foundation for his career in acting.
"People would come to the house and there'd be introductions made and I couldn't introduce myself," he told PBS in 2014. "I found it was, oh, so good sometimes because silence isn't bad. It's good to listen. And I learned to listen.”
Though not outspoken about his religious beliefs in the media, Jones discussed his spiritual journey in interviews and his autobiography Voices and Silences, Catholic News Agency reported.
According to his autobiography, Jones first became curious about Catholicism in high school: “Many of my classmates were Catholics, and I was curious about their religion,” he wrote. He was good at masonry and helped to build a Catholic church in Irons, Michigan. “The priest took an interest in how I felt about Catholicism, and offered to give me some instructions, but I wasn’t ready for that.”
In a 1987 interview, the actor revealed that while serving in the military in the 1950s, he found himself attracted to the Catholic chapel services and “decided to take my instruction in Catholicism.”
“The only thing I had that was not geared toward the art of killing was the Catholic Church, to which I had converted in the Army, and the complete works of Shakespeare,” he said at the time.
In 1985, he voiced Pharaoh in the first episode of Hanna-Barbera’s “The Greatest Adventure: Stories from the Bible.” He also recorded an audio edition of the King James version of the New Testament, something he called his “greatest honor,” saying he did it for the childhood mentor who had helped him overcome his stutter and who had pointed him to God.
"And so, when I was asked to record the New Testament, I really did it for a tall, lean man with gray hair who had not only helped to guide me to the author of the Scriptures, but as the father of my resurrected voice, had also helped me find abundant life," he wrote, CBN reported.
Following news of his death, Kevin Costner, who starred alongside Jones in "Field of Dreams," remembered the actor in a tribute shared on social media.
"Just hearing the news of James Earl Jones’ passing," he wrote. "That booming voice. That quiet strength. The kindness that he radiated. So much can be said about his legacy, so I’ll just say how thankful I am that part of it includes 'Field of Dreams.'
"If you’ve seen it, you know that this movie wouldn’t be the same with anyone else in his role. Only he could bring that kind of magic to a movie about baseball and a corn field in Iowa. I’m grateful to have been a witness to him making that magic happen. Rest in peace, friend."
Actor Colman Domingo wrote: "Thank you dear James Earl Jones for everything. A master of our craft. We stand on your shoulders. Rest now. You gave us your best."
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: [email protected]
