RIP James Earl Jones: The Reason the Most Iconic Movie Villain Exists [Video]

The film industry has lost one of its all-time greatest talents with the news that legendary performer James Earl Jones has passed away at the age of 93. A decades-long veteran of the stage and screen, Jones was beloved around the world for his versatility, easy-going charisma, and endlessly listenable contrabass voice. That last attribute is also the reason most people likely recognize his name, because although he gave many committed performances in a wide variety of films, TV shows and theater productions, his most famous role will always be as the voice of Darth Vader from the Star Wars series. Commonly considered one of if not the most iconic villains in film history, Darth Vader is the role Jones will be most remembered for, which makes it all the more remarkable that the only aspect of the character he directly contributed was his voice.

Vader was always a team effort, from his striking visual design derived from Ralph McQuarrie’s original concept art, the physical performance from David Prowse who wore the suit on set in the original films, Sebastian Shaw playing Vader with his mask removed in Return of the Jedi, and Jones dubbing over Prowse to give the character his unforgettable voice. All of them deserve credit for their contributions to the character, but it was Jones who gave Vader not just his intimidating presence, but also the shades of humanity that would slowly be revealed in The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi as the audience learned more about the man behind the mask.

James Earl Jones’ second most famous role was as Mufasa in The Lion King. It’s fascinating how Jones’ versatility led him to playing one of the most famous heroic father figures and perhaps the most famous villainous one, but that’s how incredible he was at this. His deep, commanding voice gives both characters an instant sense of respectability and authority, yet the way he channels it leads to drastically different results. Even though Mufasa doesn’t make it halfway through the film before he’s murdered by his brother Scar, Jones packs his early scenes with the young Simba with Mufasa’s genuine love and admiration for his kingdom and all of the creatures within it, providing Simba the foundational morality he will later have to strive for when he accepts his need to overthrow Scar and restore the Pride Lands.

To celebrate his life, let’s look back at why Jones’ vocal performances stand as his most enduring achievement.

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