American actor James Earl Jones, best known for being the voice of the Star Wars villain Darth Vader, has died aged 93.
He died early on Monday morning surrounded by his family, agent Barry McPherson said.
Jones starred in dozens of films including Field of Dreams, Coming To America, Conan the Barbarian and The Lion King. He was best known for giving the Star Wars supervillain Darth Vader his distinctive, gravelly voice.
Mark Hamill, who played Vader’s son Luke Skywalker in Star Wars, posted “RIP Dad” with a broken heart emoji as he shared a news report of the death.
During his career, Jones won three Tony awards including two Emmys and a Grammy, as well as an honorary Oscar in 2011 for lifetime achievement.
In 1971, he became only the second Black man nominated for an Academy Award for best actor, after Sidney Poitier.
Star Trek actor LeVar Burton was among the first to pay tribute to Jones, saying “there will never be another of his particular combinations of graces”.
Also paying tribute, US 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.”
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Kevin Costner, who co-starred with Jones in Field of Dreams, said: “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.”
Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer wrote Jones’ “voice and talent will be remembered always” and that “legendary doesn’t even begin to describe his iconic roles and impact on cinema forever.”
Crystal Minkoff, wife of The Lion King co-director Rob Minkoff, posted a photo of Jones holding a statue of Mufasa alongside the words: “Rest in Power, Mr Jones. You made a young animator’s dream come true when you accepted the role of Mufasa.
“Thank you for all you have done for Rob. Your memory will live on.”
Jones was also the voice of US broadcaster CNN’s “This is CNN” tagline.
“He was the voice of CNN and our brand for many decades, uniquely conveying through speech instant authority, grace, and decorum,” the broadcaster told the Hollywood Reporter.
“That remarkable voice is just one of many things the world will miss about James.”
– BBC
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