James Earl Jones’ cast and collaborators mourn the actor’s death at age 93

James Earl Jones’ cast and collaborators mourn the actor’s death at age 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 KingMufasa died on Monday, September 9, at his home in Dutchess County, New York, his agent confirmed to PEOPLE.

As news of Jones’ death spread across the Internet, Several celebrities β€” those who worked with him and those who admired his work β€” took to social media to share their condolences for the late actor. Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker opposite Jones’ voice work as Darth Vader, was quick to share a simple message via X with a broken heart emoji: “#RIP dad πŸ’”,” he wrote.

Hamill, 72, then shared an Instagram photo of himself embracing Jones, writing in a caption: “One of the world’s greatest actors whose contributions to Star Wars were immeasurable. He will be greatly missed. #RIP dad πŸ’””

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

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

Rob Minkoff, the co-director of The Lion Kingwrote: “I was blessed to work with him. His portrayal of Mufasa was perfect. What a powerful man and actor. Gone, but will never be forgotten. Rest in peace.”

“From the gentle wisdom of Mufasa to the brooding menace of Darth Vader, James Earl Jones gave voice to some of the greatest characters in cinematic history. A celebrated actor with nearly 200 film and television credits to his name, the stories he brought to life with a unique, commanding presence and true wealth of spirit have left an indelible impression on generations of audiences,” Disney CEO Bob Iger said in a statement. Disney acquired the rights to Star Wars in 2012 after the purchase of Lucasfilm.

Kevin Costner paid tribute to his Field of dreams co-star, who posted on Instagram: “That booming voice. That quiet strength. The kindness that he exuded. There’s so much that can be said 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, sharing a short message when the news broke, writing, “There will never be another of his special combinations of grace.” Jones went on to star in the spinoff series Roots: The next generations.

β€œRIP to a King,” Prime Video shared on X, along with a photo of Jones in Coming soon to America.

Josh Gad shared an undated photo of himself, Nikki M. James and Andrew Rannells posing with Jones on Instagram, writing that he was “devastated” by Jones’ death. “For so many of us, you defined our childhood from Star Wars Unpleasant Lion Kingby Field of dreams Unpleasant The Sandlot, from Coming to America Unpleasant Doctor Strangelove” Gad wrote. “Thank you James for giving 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 a young Jones on X and wrote, “Thank you dear James Earl Jones for everything. A master of our craft. We stand on your shoulders. Rest now. You gave us the best.”

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

James Earl Jones on June 11, 2017.

John Paul Filo/CBS via Getty


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

In 2022, he retired from voicing and reportedly gave Disney permission to continue using digital reconstructions of his voice for future Darth Vader appearances.